Problematic gamblers are becoming increasingly younger
Counsellors CNA spoke to said that, like Peter, those seeking help for their gambling addiction are getting younger and younger.
They said these tech-savvy addicts find it easier to access illegal online gambling sites and are lured by the promise of quick and easy money.
They mainly bet on sports such as football and basketball, and play casino games on illegal gambling websites.
Singapore Pools is the only gaming service provider licensed to offer legal online gaming services in Singapore.
At Arise2Care, which specializes in helping problem gamblers, recipients of aid can range in age from 20 to 30, according to its president, Jolene Ong. They are also starting to gamble at a younger age, she said.
“One of the contributing factors is peer influence. The other is that all these online platforms give them the convenience of playing,” he said.
Illegal online gambling sites offer credits so that users do not have to shell out money up front, he said.
Ms Yvonne Yuen, from addiction recovery centre WE CARE Community Services (which also increasingly caters to younger problem gamblers), said the anonymity the platforms provide is attractive to addicts.
“That gives them even more freedom, or the perception of freedom to be able to enjoy the game,” he said.
Both advisors also pointed to the easy access via smartphones. Temptations also come in the form of unsolicited text messages offering illegal gambling services, as well as advertisements on gaming and video streaming sites.
This comes even as the Gambling Regulatory Authority has blocked more than 3,400 illegal gambling websites.
NEED FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND FAMILY PARTICIPATION
With problem gamblers increasingly younger, Ms. Yuen called for continued public education efforts and for schools to play a larger role in raising awareness about the problem.
People should learn from a young age that “there is no such thing as a free lunch,” he said.
“They always think about getting free money, quick money, easy money, and that’s where the attraction lies.”
Families should also learn to detect the problem early and intervene appropriately, Ms Ong said.
By the time young people with gambling problems tell their families about their addiction, they have typically already racked up several debts, he said.
In most cases, families rush to pay off the debts, he added. However, as the addiction has not been resolved, the debts pile up again.
“Family members need to be prepared to intervene effectively and quickly, before all hell breaks loose,” Ms Ong said.
He said that in his organization’s support group for young addicts, parents are also involved.
In the case of one addict, his parents took away his smartphone and laptop so he couldn’t play online games when he was alone in his room, when he would be most tempted.
Counsellors added that making counselling more accessible will also help to better address the problem of problem gambling.
For Paul (not his real name), who started playing online games at 18, an injury intensified his habit.
“I fractured my wrist and had no money to seek medical treatment. So when I won my first online betting win of S$100 to S$200, I felt like it was a gift to myself. So I started getting addicted.”
Paul ran up huge debts by taking out cash advances on his credit cards and also borrowed from family and friends to feed his addiction.
Paul eventually took his brother’s advice and sought counseling at Arise2Care, where he received help with a debt repayment plan. He has since recovered from his addiction.
“If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t even want to touch the game and just live a normal, decent life,” he said.
“At least I can sleep peacefully at night, I don’t have to worry about debts or who will come to harass me.”
