The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has issued a warning to parents and guardians following a report into young people and gambling which shows 450,000 children from England and Wales participate in gambling every week.
Findings of the Young People and Gambling 2016 report, indicate the overall gambling rate among 11-to-15-year-olds is approximately 16 percent. Studies suggest around 9,000 of the 450,000 underage gamblers are likely to develop a gambling problem.
The most popular form of gambling among 11-to-15-year-olds interviewed for the study is via fruit machines (five percent) with playing cards for money with friends (four percent) and National Lottery scratchcards (4 percent) also being popular methods of gambling.