Giving kids lottery scratchers as gifts can create risky gambling behaviour

With online gambling accessible and rising in popularity the BC Lottery Corporation is warning people that giving kids lottery scratchers could make them more likely to grow into risky gamblers. Scratch and Win tickets are one of the most common ways kids get introduced to gambling, according to a BCLC media release issued Dec. 18. “Scratch and Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” BCLC’s director of player health Ryan McCarthy said in the release. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. "While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.” University of British Columbia research found that gambling streams online or things like Scratch and Win tickets can make kids more inclined to gamble when they grow up, BCLC said. READ MORE: How BCLC helps problem gamblers kick the habit https://infotel.ca/newsitem/how-bclc-helps-problem-gamblers-kick-the-habit/it102524 “With the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,” director for gambling research at UBC Dr. Luke Clark said in the release. “Our research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.”  In B.C. it’s illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under 19 and BCLC wants to encourage people to have conversations with young people about the risks of gambling. “Open and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,” BCLC's McCarthy said. Parents should monitor kids’ online activity to discourage interaction with gambling content, he said, and make sure they understand how gambling works, adding it’s important to watch out for children gambling on streaming sites or in video games. McCarthy said it’s also important for adults to set a positive example and gamble safely while explaining the risks to kids. Click here for more information about the risks of gambling. https://www.gamesense.com/articles/scratch-win-games-arent-for-kids.html To contact a reporter for this story, email Jesse Tomas mailto:jtomas@infonews.ca  or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. Find our Journalism Ethics policy here. https://infotel.ca/newsitem/code-of-ethics/it106782 We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .