Gambling at 16! One can never be old enough

It is suggested that gambling should be for adults as they are mature enough to know when to stop, and to be organized so that a budget is set.

This is not true. Those that gamble know this, and the rest of our world know this. It is not a case of maturity but of each particular individual’s personality. Whether you are aged 16 or 46, gambling can lead to problems at any age because it depends on the individual and not the specific age of the individual.

There are certain 16 year olds for example, that quite happily just buy a lottery ticket every now and then without feeling the need to over step the mark where others decide that the lottery is not enough, and throw as much money into slot machines as their pocket will carry. The same goes for older citizens that set a lottery budget, and those that don’t.

Gambling can cause serious issues but age is not the problem and certainly not the answer. One could take the legal gambling age to 21 but this will not solve a thing. If someone wants to gamble they will find a way regardless of any age barriers.

The problem starts when one first has a flutter on something, whether it is the fruit machines, a horse, a dog, even a school bet at conkers. It is that moment that will determine their gambling future. They may feel a buzz, and in that instant they will want to look for another, they may not feel a buzz and think, “Oh well”.

There are so many outlets these days for gambling and in particular online where you could find a whole list of online casinos, but whilst most authorities do their utmost to hinder underage gambling, it certainly is not the main cause of problem gambling. In everything we do each and every person is unique, and therefore their needs are too.

Thankfully there are many forms of support that can provide help to those that require it.