The addiction invading young lives
- deansimpson7
- Jun 24
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 26
It is taking hold across Australia – from bedrooms and bus stops to backyards and basketball courts. Gambling is invading young lives, luring hundreds of thousands of children with flashy games and the illusion of easy money. But the Salvos’ Gambling Support Service is sounding the alarm and cutting through the hype to reveal the true cost. In Part 2 of her series on gambling harms, Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH spoke with the team to discover its mission to protect young lives – and the growing, silent epidemic.
READ MORE: Part 1 – Gambling Support Service – new name, same committed service
It was a shocking statistic that could not be ignored.
Hitting headlines for all the wrong reasons, new research from The Australia Institute revealed in April this year that 600,000 Australian children, some as young as 12, are gambling, spending more than $18 million a year – nearly one-third of all 12 to 17-year-olds across the country.
And primary school-aged children are not immune, with increasing exposure via social media, video games, phone gambling apps and sometimes, their own families.
Still, there is reason to hope.
Leading the charge is the Salvos’ Gambling Support Service team, which works actively in Melbourne’s City and Inner North areas to tackle the issue with schools, families, and the wider community.
“Children are involved in gambling and are often starting at a young age,” said Kirrily Mitchell, Community Engagement Practitioner with the Salvos’ Gambling Support Service.
“So much so that teens are now more likely to bet on sport, rather than play it, according to The Australia Institute study. There is a real linkage in people gambling at quite a young age, even though they are under 18, and having been exposed to gambling-like aspects in many online games … and that is always a real worry for people being able to access gambling, even when they are legally not meant to.”
Gambling influences are now common on YouTube and other social media platforms, with extensive exposure for kids and adolescents to the whole gambling world through many different avenues.
The introduction to it occurs very early on.
The whole gaming scene can really contribute to gambling harm later on, Kirrily commented, let alone the relentless gambling ads that are everywhere on socials, on free-to-air TV and around game stadiums.
The Community Engagement Practitioner spends part of her role visiting secondary schools, as well as community and industry groups, to raise awareness about gambling and its harms, with primary school-aged children in her sights too.
With gambling advertising saturated in Australia’s media landscape, Kirrily says talking with children about online games is also critical, especially because so many are laced with elements that mimic gambling.
‘Loot boxes’ in many online games are a key example – deceptively innocent reward systems that are, in essence, gambling in disguise.
“They are a really stark example of what it is like,” she remarked. “This is early-onset, saturation in getting kids exposed to gambling through things like that.”
And it doesn’t stop at loot boxes.
Some popular online games have let players walk into virtual casinos to play games such as blackjack – complete with the thrills and promise of winning money – but without any of the warnings.
It all adds up to children often making countless microtransactions, with the line between gaming and gambling never more dangerously blurred.
That is why the free, Department of Health-funded program titled ‘Be Ahead of the Game’, teaches children to think critically about the intertwined world of gaming and gambling – and how to recognise the traps, the relentless advertising impacts, and the subtle incentives pushing them to spend.
The mission is clear: to show students they don’t have to gamble if they don’t want to.
The main message is that if someone chooses to gamble when over 18, including adults, maybe buying a Tatts ticket for fun once or twice a year, that is fine. But it must be within their means, without chasing losses. Feeling in control is key, whether it’s gaming or gambling, and not to be controlled by addiction.
The program also champions good mental health and normalises early help-seeking behaviours.
Kirrily noted that everyone has ups and downs, and while people seek to feel good in different ways, it is vital that they don’t feel ashamed to ask for help. Encouraging young people to reach out early to services such as Headspace or Beyond Blue can prevent greater struggles later on.
One key message is driven home to students, simple yet striking.
“Because we have so much unregulated gambling advertising and the fact that children have got a casino in their pocket now, with their mobile phone, they are encouraged to and have access to gambling content,” she emphasised.
“They can access sports betting anytime online. They can often get around the whole age thing. So, we tell them – look, there is this whole world of promotion, and of showing people winning, through gambling influencers online sites and the like ... It’s all highly glamorised and shown to be fun. We are just saying, hey, be aware that, in general, you will always lose more than you win.”
The program tackles myths head-on, highlighting the real financial, emotional and social costs of gambling.
Ultimately, the goal is not prohibition – it is awareness. Informed choices. And helping the students feel like they are in control.
Guest speakers with lived experience of gambling harm are also often part of these immersive school sessions. Students are encouraged to think about the ripple effects – relationship breakdowns, mental and physical health issues, falling behind at school, or losing sight of balance in their lives.
“We really try and help them be aware of the warning signs,” emphasised Kirrily. “Not only for themselves, but for others that they might know.”
Parents and teachers also play a crucial role.
Kirrily’s advice is to stay engaged, ask questions, and be curious, while remaining non-judgmental and supportive when kids share their feelings.
She encourages parents to understand what’s going on and learn how they can help, including talking openly with their children and showing interest in what they’re doing or playing, making it easier for kids to open up.
One confronting fact she shares with kids and adults is just how much Australians lose to gambling: a staggering $32 billion a year.
“People don’t realise it can be a very silent harm,” she explained.
“Because people don’t say, ‘Oh, I just lost $100,000.’ They might tell you, ‘Oh, I’ve won $50,’ but they don’t usually tell you about their losses, generally. And so, it’s hidden. People don’t realise that we lose the most in the world to gambling, per capita.”
A core message also delivered is the protective power of self-esteem.
Children who feel good about themselves are far less likely to turn to excessive gambling, drugs or alcohol for a boost.
“We are really trying to instil grassroots good mental health habits around – let’s feel good about what we are doing,” Kirrily said.
“Let’s feel in control. And if we are not, let’s talk about it, or let’s ask someone, or let’s figure out what we can do so that we don’t feel compelled to buy these loot boxes or make excessive micro transactions, or to go to overseas gambling sites.”
Safety is front and centre too.
Many parents don’t realise the average online gamer in Australia is a 34-year-old male.
Children often believe they are playing with peers – but that’s not always the case.
Salvos Gambler’s Help Therapeutic Counsellor, Andy Brydon, echoed Kirrily’s concerns, warning that children as young as 12 are being introduced to gambling at an alarming rate.
He said it often begins in school WhatsApp groups, where sports betting is normalised, sometimes with access to parents’ credit cards or through bypassing age restrictions altogether.
Gambling ads are designed to appeal to young minds – fast-paced, colourful, gamified, and backed by celebrities. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch amplify the appeal, with influencers live-streaming gambling sessions, often sponsored by betting companies and curated to look like big wins are the norm.
Video games, especially those containing loot boxes, are a key part of the problem.
Andy also noted how vulnerable adolescent brains are: their reward systems develop before their ability to assess risk. That imbalance makes teens especially susceptible to addictions. And early exposure can lead to lifelong struggles – with substance use, anxiety, depression and poor concentration among the risks.
Yet, despite the dangers, both Andy and Kirrily see hope.
Just as society shifted attitudes toward tobacco and alcohol, gambling can be tackled, too. Reduced advertising, increased education, and breaking down stigma and help-seeking shame are all crucial steps.
Parents have a vital role too: monitoring online influences, staying educated and having these conversations with their kids in a non-judgmental, encouraging way. Similarly, schools and governments promote awareness campaigns, regulation, and support services.
And there is a growing openness among younger generations, especially in the wake of COVID, to talk about mental health and seek help, Andy commented.
Kirrily agreed, adding that one of the most effective safeguards was to help kids find joy in their everyday lives – and feel comfortable in their own skin.
“I know it sounds really simple, but feeling happier in their day-to-day life, so they don’t need it (excessive gaming or gambling) so much,” she explained.
“They do want to do more things with their friends and get out and about – they inherently want that balance in life – they don’t want to just sit in their room on their own all day and game excessively or gamble, to get that thrill they are not getting in other ways.”
Looking ahead, she hopes the primary school uptake of the Department of Health’s ‘Be Ahead of the Game’ program, The Bridge, designed for younger children, will bring these crucial conversations into primary schools.
“The earlier, the better, with anything to do with setting up good mental health habits,” Kirrily says.
“It’s so much easier to get to kids when they are younger, and they haven’t formed all these strong views or habits … with the aim of helping them feel they are in control of what they are doing – so they can start and stop when they want and not feel at the mercy of excessive gaming, gambling or all the gambling ads.”
While gambling may be woven into the fabric of Australian life, momentum for change is building – from tighter restrictions on advertising and gaming classifications to public awareness.
“It is one step at a time,” she commented.
“And little by little, more people will hopefully start to feel more in control of their gambling – doing it occasionally for a bit of fun if they wish to, but always feeling able to slow down, or stop, when it stops becoming fun and starts becoming a miserable obsession.”
