06 Aug Why parents’ everyday habits may shape a teen’s gambling risk
Parents may not realise that small actions at home — such as discussing betting wins, watching gambling together or letting a child choose lottery numbers — can make gambling seem normal to teenagers.
Gambling may not appear to be one of the biggest risks facing teenagers. Parents are often more concerned about bullying, mental health, alcohol, drugs and online safety.
However, new CQUniversity research suggests gambling often begins earlier than families realise. It also found that parents can strongly influence how teenagers view betting.
Researchers surveyed more than 1,180 Australian parents of children aged 12 to 17.
More than one in four parents — 27 per cent — said their teenager had taken part in at least one form of gambling during the previous year.
The figure was higher among boys. More than 30 per cent of adolescent boys had gambled, compared with 24 per cent of girls, according to their parents.
When gambling becomes part of family life
The study found that 68 per cent of parents who gambled had done so while their teenager was present.
Fathers were more likely than mothers to gamble with their children, particularly with their sons. Shared activities included fantasy sports betting, keno, online betting and skin betting.
Skin betting involves using or wagering virtual items collected in video games. Although these items may not look like money, some can be bought, sold or exchanged.
Lead researcher Dr Cassy Dittman said many parents did not consider gambling particularly risky compared with other teenage concerns.
Parents ranked gambling 11th out of 16 issues, below bullying, mental health concerns and substance use.
Most parents did not approve of teenage gambling. However, 22 per cent felt it was acceptable for teenagers to gamble occasionally, while more than a third considered exposure to gambling on television acceptable.
Small actions can send a strong message
The strongest predictor of teenage gambling was what researchers called “parental facilitation”.
This means parents knowingly or unknowingly helping to make gambling seem acceptable. It can include:
- talking enthusiastically about wins
- asking a child to choose lottery numbers
- placing a bet on a teenager’s behalf
- allowing them to join gambling activities
- regularly watching or discussing betting at home.
“What really stood out was that parental facilitation of gambling was predicting adolescent gambling more strongly than many of the risk factors we’ve known about for years,” Dr Dittman said.
Parents do not need to gamble heavily to influence how their children see betting. Everyday messages that present gambling as fun, harmless or a normal part of watching sport may shape a teenager’s attitudes.
The researchers found that when gambling was normalised at home, teenagers were more likely to gamble and experience gambling-related problems.
Early participation also matters because gambling at a younger age has been linked with a greater risk of problems later.
How parents can reduce the risk
The study found that positive relationships, clear boundaries and parental supervision may help protect teenagers.
Parents can also consider the messages children receive about gambling at home.
They can:
- avoid celebrating wins without mentioning losses
- avoid placing bets or buying gambling products for children
- explain that betting companies are designed to make money
- talk about the volume of gambling advertising shown during sport
- discuss the difference between skill, luck and chance
- check games for loot boxes, skins and casino-style features
- set clear family rules about gambling.
Dr Dittman said greater awareness could help parents have informed conversations and build protective habits at home.
Parents are one of the strongest influences in a young person’s life. That means they can also play an important part in reducing the risk of gambling harm.
The research was conducted by CQUniversity’s Appleton Institute and Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory and was supported by the NSW Responsible Gambling Fund.
