Children's Gambling Culture: Normalization of Gambling, According to NZ Harm Prevention Agency
In the digital age, concerns about the normalization and accessibility of gambling for children have come to the forefront. Andree Froude, the advocacy and public health director for the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand, has been vocal about the risks associated with gambling, particularly in the online environment.
Froude's concerns are rooted in the heavy use of social media, gaming, and loot boxes with gambling elements by children and adolescents. This increased exposure has led to a growing concern about the normalization of gambling among the younger generation.
Loot boxes, which require real money to be spent for a chance to win in-game items, are similar to gambling and expose children to the risks associated with such activities. The Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand has expressed concern about the normalization of buying gambling products among those under 18.
As of now, Instant Kiwi tickets are the only age-restricted Lotto products in New Zealand. However, a new legislation is expected to be introduced to New Zealand's parliament later this year, aiming to ban the sale of all Lotto news to children. If the legislation passes, the ban will apply to both online and in-store sales of Lotto tickets.
Lotto's spokesperson, Will Hine, has stated that there is no firm data about the number of under-18s purchasing news, but believes the number is quite low. Despite this, Lotto is welcoming the upcoming regulation proposals regarding the sale of gambling products to children.
The Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand, a national non-profit organization with over 60 locations throughout the country and the largest treatment provider for problem gambling in Australasia, recommends that gambling products should not be sold to persons under 18, even if it's for their parents. Froude emphasizes the importance of signaling that gambling products are not suitable for children.
Research indicates that gambling before the age of 13 may increase the likelihood of harmful gambling practices later in life for New Zealand adults. Froude finds it alarming that Lotto tickets are being sold to children, as even a child buying a ticket for their parents normalizes the behavior and reduces the perceived risk associated with gambling.
While the organization that submitted a bill in 2023 to the New Zealand Parliament proposing a ban on the sale of all lottery news to children is not mentioned in the provided search results, the upcoming legislation is a significant step towards protecting New Zealand's youth from the potential harms of gambling.
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