Problem gambling in adulthood is more likely among those exposed to gambling as children, according to a new study.
The Economic and Social Research Institute's (ESRI) Behavioural Research Unit has found that rates of problem gambling are significantly higher among people who gambled as children, whose parents gambled, or whose parents had positive attitudes towards gambling.
'Problem gambling’ is when a person’s gambling disrupts and damages their life, with negative impacts on finances, well-being, and social circles.
The research, commissioned by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), gathered anonymous online responses from a representative sample of more than 1,600 adults.
Most of the sample had engaged in at least some form of gambling when they were under 18.
The most common forms were slot machines, scratch cards, horse or dog betting, gambling amongst friends, bingo and lotteries.
The researchers found a strong link between current gambling behaviour and childhood experiences.
Those who gambled as children were almost twice as likely to suffer from problem gambling.
Having a parent who gambled increased the likelihood of problem gambling by one third, while parental attitudes to gambling had a similarly large effect.
People who both gambled as children and had a parent who significantly gambled were four times more likely to suffer from problem gambling.
Senior Research Officer at the ESRI Dr Shane Timmons said the results demonstrated that childhood gambling experiences had damaging effects on people as adults.
"Together with our best estimate that 1 in 30 adults in Ireland now struggles with problem gambling, these findings strengthen the case for regulation of gambling. We need to avoid normalising gambling among young people," he said.
The research provided "clear evidence" of the long-term potential harms resulting from childhood exposure to gambling according to the GRAI CEO Anne Marie Caulfield.
She said it reinforced the importance of "a well-regulated gambling sector that protects children and those vulnerable to gambling harm".
Ms Caulfield added: "It also points to the need for awareness and education among our young people, their parents, and guardians on gambling related harms."
To coincide with the publication of the ESRI study, the GRAI has published advice on its website for parents on the topic of gambling and associated dangers for children.
That was developed in collaboration with HSE Addiction Services.
Senior research officer with the ESRI Dr Deirdre Robertson said that there is a need to restrict gambling advertising "because we know there's an awful lot of exposure to gambling messaging at the moment and that might be one thing that is effective."
She added: "this link that we're seeing between the parents and the problem gambling as adults is actually much stronger for people who are currently over 40 than under 40.
"And what we think is happening is that there are probably more influences outside of the family that are affecting people who are under 40 than was the case previously.
"And probably a lot of that is to the exposure to gambling and to advertising and the ability to do it online and so on.
"So those are the types of regulations that are being looked at."
She said that the Institute for Public Health did research about two years ago where they surveyed 16-year-olds today and found that one in four of them had gambled in the past 12 months.
"And there's a lot of things in games that are like gambling, like loot boxes [in video games] and so on, that are kind of using the types of gambling that then might be in real gambling when people are adults.
"So that kind of exposure as well, there needs to be more research done on it.
"But those kind of gambling type behaviours and type activities are things that people are being exposed to as well."
