Features

The following article has been adapted from a 2007 piece by the author.

Is gambling crippling our youth? That is a question that is constantly being raised amongst young communities in this new age of technology. With outlets available, not just in the high street any more, exposure is bigger than it has ever been before. Aside from the internet, we can also place bets just by picking up the phone or accessing browsers on our mobile. It really is that simple.

Gambling has become a very popular part of culture among youths as of late and many are concerned about the growing trend.. A recent report in a top national newspaper told how a 22-year-old man accumulated gambling debts of £30,000 using his father's credit card.

Daniel Richardson, 22 started to gamble on anything from football to the toss of a coin and he managed to gain £60,000 but within half an hour it was all gone and he was left with a debt he was unable to pay. After confessing what he had done he then turned himself in to the police and was ordered to do 200 hours of community service.

He said, "It gradually got worse. The more I gambled the more messed up I became. I shut myself from everyone, I became reclusive. It got to the stage where I was gambling on anything."

"My advice to anyone else who gets in this kind of situation would be don't gamble what you can't afford to lose. And if you are in trouble, speak to someone."

His father, Stephen Richardson blames the ease of Internet gambling, "The sites he got on to only asked for the card number and the expiry date. They didn't even want the security number on the back of the card."

" It was so easy for Daniel, I know my son was wrong and should be punished, but these sites - and the credit card companies - have a responsibility too. For someone to be able to place £5,000 bets without checking whether the person is who they say they are is bonkers."