Rising Trend of Gambling and Gaming Among Youth in British Columbia
Increasing Youth Involvement in Gambling and Gaming in B.C.
A recent report by the McCreary Centre Society reveals a concerning rise in the number of teenagers in British Columbia who are engaging in gambling and gaming activities that involve spending real money. This increase corresponds with the growing availability of online gambling options throughout Canada.
About 35% of Teenagers in B.C. Participated in Gambling Last Year
The findings come from the 2023 B.C. Adolescent Health Survey, which collected responses from over 38,200 young people aged 12 to 18. Conducted every five years, this survey evaluates various issues affecting youth, with this edition focusing specifically on gambling and monetary gaming behaviors.
The data indicates that 34% of participants reported engaging in at least one of eight different forms of gambling or money-based gaming within the previous year. These activities ranged from sports betting to purchasing virtual goods inside video games.
Since the 2021 survey, Canada has legalized single-event sports betting for adults, making gambling more visible and accessible, especially online. Similar patterns have been observed in other provinces, highlighting a nationwide concern.
Popular Activities: In-Game Purchases and Sports Betting Lead Among Youth
Annie Smith, executive director of the McCreary Centre Society, highlighted that spending money within video games is the most prevalent activity among young people surveyed, a behavior not tracked in the previous survey cycle.
Traditional gambling forms, such as buying lottery tickets, have become less common among teens. Nonetheless, the overall rate of youth gambling has slightly increased, with 20% admitting to gambling activities, reflecting a 2% rise since the last report.
Smith pointed out that online sports betting has doubled over the past five years, and the frequency of playing online card and dice games has more than doubled. The easy online access to gambling platforms makes it more accessible for youth than ever before.
Early Gambling Habits Make It Harder to Quit
The survey also found regional variations in gambling rates, with higher participation reported in northern British Columbia, the Interior, and Vancouver Island, while the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser regions showed the lowest rates.
Importantly, 12% of the surveyed youth expressed a need for assistance in managing problematic gaming involving real money, and 1% identified a need for help with gambling.
Many of these young individuals also faced other difficulties such as social isolation and food insecurity.
Elizabeth Saewyc, a professor at the University of British Columbia not involved in the study, warned about the long-term consequences of early gambling habits. She explained that starting addictive behaviors at a younger age increases the difficulty of quitting them later on.
She further noted that gambling late at night can disrupt sleep patterns, negatively impacting mood, memory, and academic performance.
To help mitigate these risks, she recommends families set boundaries around electronic device usage at night, promote outdoor activities, and maintain open, non-judgmental discussions about gambling with young people.
