Following an investigation into the growth of skin gambling in young people, Parent Zone has published a report, Skin gambling: teenage Britain’s secret habit, revealing that 1 in 10 UK children aged 13-18 is betting online in casino and bookmaker-style sites.
Skin gambling is a relatively new phenomenon, where gamers are able to bet with virtual items called ‘skins’. Since 2015, gamers have been able to win or trade skins and gamble their collections on competitive video gaming matches, in casino-style sites or on games of chance. Winners can cash in their skins for real currency, and billions of pounds are currently spent in skin gambling sites internationally.
We set out to explore the scale of under-18s skin gambling and what needs to happen to prevent children from being introduced to gambling via video gaming platforms.
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