YOUNG people in Bradford often think gambling is something their parents and grandparents do, rather than recognising it as something they are involved with themselves.

A Council committee heard that nationally there is a rising number of young people who could be described as “at risk” gamblers in the country.

But instead of traditional gambling, many of these young people are gambling either through online betting sites or by spending money on seemingly innocuous online games.

And a wide ranging study of young people in Bradford will soon begin collecting data on the extend of gambling among young people.

Bradford Council’s Corporate Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday to discuss gambling in the district.

A report to members revealed that nationally the percentage of 16-24 years deemed to be “at risk” from becoming problem gamblers had risen from 0.6 per cent to 3.1 per cent in just one year.

Sarah Exhall, from the Council’s public health department, said most young people who gamble do so online, and often through games where players spend money to “unlock” characters or items – but with no guarantee their spending will not be in vain.

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She told members: “Young people don’t associate the terms gambling or betting with their own activity. They feel gambling is something their parents or grandparents do rather than something they do.

“They don’t see it as a problem.”

Councillor David Green (Lab, Wibsey) said: “Most young people who gamble, gamble online, not in shops. Most shops are good at spotting and challenging young people. Getting online for a young person is fairly easy if they have a false ID.”

The meeting heard that a huge number of young people would be asked whether they gamble as part of the Born In Bradford Age of Wonder project - a research project looking at the lives of thousands of adolescents in the district.

The report to the committee said: “Questions will be asked about different types of gambling activity (including gambling-like activity within games); any negative impacts or harms experienced as a result of gambling; and the gambling of others close to the child.

“Data collection begun in 2022, and will continue to be collected over the next seven years. Data should be available annually from Summer 2023.”

In the same meeting, Cllr Green argued it was important people knew how harmful gambling could be. He said: “People who gamble will only tell you about their wins. I can tell you the three horses that won for me, but I can’t tell you the names of those who lost. That is one of the biggest problems – people will go to the pub and tell their mates they’ve just won £200.

“They won’t tell them when they blow a week’s income on the 3.30 race.”