'Alarming': One In 3 Aussie Children Gambling

About one in three Aussie kids are rolling the dice on their futures, losing more than $18 million to betting each year.


The current findings released by think tank the show 30 percent of 12 to 17-year-olds gamble, with the figure spiralling to practically half of 18 to 19-year-olds.


That's 600,000 teenagers betting each year.


Gambling reform supporters say it's the result of a purposeful attempt by the gaming industry to groom children to bet from a really young age.


"There is evidence that the gambling industry targets kids as young as 14 years of ages through social media, urging them to download betting ads, and the saturation of betting advertisements around our major football codes is likewise tempting children to bet," Alliance for Gambling Reform primary executive Martin Thomas said.


"It is both disconcerting and tragic to understand that the number of teenagers betting under the legal age would fill the MCG six times over."


The alliance is getting in touch with all candidates in the upcoming federal election to devote to the suggestions made following the Murphy questions into online betting, chaired by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy.


The questions's 2023 report found a "torrent" of marketing and simulated gaming through video games was grooming children to bet and motivating riskier behaviour.


It recommended a total phase-out of all gambling marketing over three years.


Despite the evaluation being unanimously backed across parliament with no dissenting remarks, Labor has dragged its feet on gambling reform in spite of increasing pressure to prohibit wagering advertisements.


Australians currently acquire the world's greatest gambling losses, placing $244.3 billion in bets every year.


Rates of gambling have actually increased considering that 2019 and average yearly losses rose from nearly $2000 per person to about $2500, according to the Australian Institute report.


The country's total betting losses at $31.5 billion competitors the entire Northern Territory economy and is higher than the $21 billion lost to betting in all of Las Vegas, the report included.