Chai Brady
Catholic addiction counsellors and organisations are warning that unregulated online gambling is causing children to become problem gamblers in later life, in a phenomenon that could escalate.
Young people of any age can access gambling websites with the tick of a box that ‘proves’ they’re 18. Games can be played online for free but players are enticed to deposit money, and are sometimes offered free bets to get them started.
Former star GAA player and gambling addict turned addiction counsellor, Oisin McConville, struggled with gambling for 16 years.
Mr McConville, who now works in Smarmore Castle Private Clinic, warns that the people he works with are getting younger.
Decisions
“Obviously I’m not meeting 14- or 15-year-olds that are in crisis, but I’m meeting kids that are 19-20 years of age who started gambling at 13-14 as I did and not making informed decisions at that stage,” he told The Irish Catholic.
The difference between today’s society compared to 10 years ago, he said, is that “the accessibility is easier than it’s ever been, in the fact it’s two touches in an app and you’ve placed your bet”.
Mr McConville said he kept his gambling secret for most of his life, and he would regularly go to the bookies. “It’s the most hidden addiction of all the addictions, there’s not many physical signs,” he said.
Faith played a big part in his recovery, as there were issues he felt he could not deal with without the help of God. “The first thing I did in the morning was get on my knees and say my prayers and the same thing at night. I would not consider myself to be an overly holy person, I suppose spiritual more than anything else, it had a huge role to play in recovery,” he said.
Michael Guerin, an addiction counsellors in Catholic charity Cuan Mhuire, said that nowadays young people who present with drugs issues also have online gambling problems.
“They say that gambling doesn’t kill people, but the suicide rate among active compulsive gamblers is four times higher than for any other addiction,” he said.
He criticised the fact the Gambling Control Bill 2013 has not progressed for four years, leaving the online gambling industry largely unregulated according to the counsellor.
This comes as gambling sites appear to be targeting children with games themed on Peter Pan on the Paddy Power website, and Jack and the Beanstalk on the 888 website.