The Michigan Gaming Control Board urges parents to begin conversations about responsible gaming when their kids are in their tweens, 8 to 12 years of age. Data show that seven out of 10 students ages 14 to 19 will wager money on games this year alone. It is important to educate your kids early on so they can understand the consequences of gambling and the impact they can have on their futures. There are steps and tools that help parents prevent online gambling by underaged kids, such as parental restrictions on electronics. The following tips can also help kids avoid risky behavior.
- Start talking to your kids early: Children often begin gambling during elementary school.
- Create an open environment so children will come to you when they have questions or problems.
- Educate yourself and your kids about gambling.
- Talk about the realities of chance with your children.
- Know normal behaviors: Adolescents are impulsive and like to take risks. They focus on the here and now instead of the long-term consequences of behaviors.
- Set rules: Research shows specific, consistent and reasonable rules lead to fewer problems with risky behaviors, including gambling.
- Monitor activities: Stay involved without making children feel controlled. Make sure you keep credit cards, personal IDs and your own internet accounts secure to prevent children from using them without your knowledge or permission.
- Be involved: Ask teachers to include probability and randomness in math classes and teachers and counselors to monitor students playing cards and other games for money at school.
- Help children develop coping skills: Effective coping strategies focus on solving underlying problems instead of escaping them through gambling.
- Understand the role of the family: Don’t send mixed messages about gambling behavior. If you have a gambling problem, your children are at increased risk of developing that problem, too.