Investigation of the incidence of online gambling in adolescents in Ballarat, and attitudes to and awareness of problem gambling in adolescents

Transcription

1 Investigation of the incidence of online gambling in adolescents in Ballarat, and attitudes to and awareness of problem gambling in adolescents Final Report December 2013

2 2013 Central Highlands Primary Care Partnership & Ballarat Community Health Report prepared by: Dr Julie Nitschke PhD GradDipManipPhysio BAppSc(Physio) Research Coordinator Ballarat Community Health T: E: 2

3 Contents List of Tables...5 List of Figures...6 Abbreviations...8 Executive Summary...9 Recommendations Background Aims & Objectives Method Design Setting & Sample Ethics Inclusion Criteria Recruitment Administration Consent Procedure Data collection Confidentiality Data analysis Results Survey responses Demographic data Gender Age Country of birth Family status Parent employment status Parent education Incidence of online gambling Parents Students Attitudes Attitudes towards serious teen issues Attitudes towards the risks of gambling Parents & teachers levels of concern about gambling in teenagers Awareness about problem gambling How problem gambling is addressed by parents & teachers

4 Discussion Incidence of online and other forms of gambling Attitudes to and awareness of gambling, problem gambling and other serious teen issues How problem gambling is addressed by parents & teachers Limitations Conclusions Appendix 1 Survey for parent/guardian Appendix 2 Survey for teachers Appendix 3 Survey for students

5 List of Tables Table 1 Numbers of survey responses in each cohort, and the percentage of students who attended each school type Table 2 Percentage of each cohort who were male and female Table 3 Country of birth of all survey respondents Table 4 Percentage of families in the parent and student surveys where children were living with one or both parents Table 5 Employment status of parents Table 6 Parents highest level of education Table 7 Child and student access to the internet and credit Table 8 How parents monitor their child's online activity Table 9 Parents reponse to the question 'If your child did gamble with money, at what amount would it concern you?'

6 List of Figures Figure 1 Age of parent and teacher respondents to the survey Figure 2 Age of the child in the parent survey and age of Year 9 & 10 students in the student survey Figure 3 Gambling activities that parents had participated in during the previous 12 months Figure 4 Gambling activities that mothers and fathers had participated in during the previous 12 months Figure 5 Gambling activities for money that parents have participated in with their children Figure 6 Frequency of parents participation in gambling with their child Figure 7 Number of times a child has received a lotto/draw ticket as a gift Figure 8 Gambling activities students had participated in during the previous 12 months Figure 9 Gambling activities that female and male students had participated in during the previous 12 months Figure 10 Frequency that students have gambled on the internet in the previous 12 months Figure 11 Dollars per week allowance that children/students receive Figure 12 Percentage of parents, teachers and students who consider these teen issues as 'very serious' and 'serious' Figure 13 Mothers and fathers perception of the seriousness of a range of high risk youth issues Figure 14 Female and male teachers perception of the seriousness of a range of high risk youth issues Figure 15 Female and male students perception of the seriousness of a range of high risk youth issues Figure 16 Percentage of parents, teachers and students who 'strongly agree' and 'agree' with the statements about the risks of gambling Figure 17 Percentage of parents, teachers and students who 'strongly disagree' and 'disagree' with the statements about the risks of gambling Figure 18 Percentage of parents, teachers and students who believe these behaviours are 'very likely' and 'likely' to happen Figure 19 Parents level of concern about their child's participation in a range of gambling activities. All parents indicates percentages when all data is combined, while Fathers shows the percentage of fathers who chose each option and the same for mothers Figure 20 All parents, fathers and mothers level of concern about their child participating in poker play for money Figure 21 All teachers as well as male and female teachers level of concern that students may participate in a range of gambling activities Figure 22 The type of gambling activities that parents believe their child has participated in where there was an exchange of money Figure 23 Percentage of teachers who believe that Years 7-12 students have participated in gambling activities where there was an exchange of money Figure 24 Youth issues that parents believe have impacted their child Figure 25 Percentage of parent responses that were 'often' and 'regularly' to the question 'How frequently do you have conversations with your child about the following?' Figure 26 Percentage of mothers and fathers likely to have conversations with their children about the following issues 'often' and 'regularly' Figure 27 Barriers that parents feel limit their child from discussing serious youth issues Figure 28 Situations/incidents that would prompt parents to have a conversation with their child about a serious youth issue Figure 29 The percentage of parents who rated as 'good' and 'excellent' the information available about selected teen issues Figure 30 Teachers rating of the information available to them about teenage gambling Figure 31 Parents knowledge of whether their child's school has ever provided prevention programs or educational material on a range of serious teen issues Figure 32 Top five preferences for how parents would like to receive information concerning teen gambling issues. Percentage indicates the percentage of parents who included any single method of receiving information in their top five preferences Figure 33 Top five preferences for how teachers would like to receive information concerning teen gambling issues. Percentage indicates the percentage of students who included any single method of receiving information in their top five preferences

7 Figure 34 Top five preferences for how students would like to receive information concerning teen gambling issues. Percentage indicates the percentage of students who included any single method of receiving information in their top five preferences Figure 35 Where parents and students are most likely to seek help if their child or the student themselves had a problem with gambling

8 Abbreviations Parent BCH DEECD BHSSJOG HREC Where the term parent is used it is an abbreviation of Parent/Guardian Ballarat Community Health Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Ballarat Health Services and St John of God Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee 8

9 Executive Summary The recent proliferation of gambling advertising in all forms of media, including the internet, has increased exposure of young people to gambling where it is portrayed as an exciting and harmless activity that is fun, enjoyable and leads to winning easy money. Online gambling is a rapidly growing industry where people can gamble in the privacy of their own space using digital media such as computers and mobile phones. Australian and overseas research has revealed that up to a quarter of young people between the ages of 13 and 18 have gambled at least once on the internet, and between 56 and 80% have gambled at least once when all gambling media are taken into consideration. Problem gambling amongst youth and adolescence has been cited as more prevalent than in adults and that it may lead to problem gambling as an adult. It has been suggested that online gamblers have a significantly higher risk of becoming problem gamblers than land-based gamblers. While there has been research in Australia and overseas investigating gambling and problem gambling in young people, internet gambling specifically has received little attention. With the proliferation of gambling advertising in the media and on the internet targetting young people, the aim of this research was to investigate the incidence of online and other forms of gambling among teenagers in Ballarat, determine parent, student and teacher awareness of and attitudes to gambling and problem gambling, and how the risk of problem gambling is addressed. The results indicated that few year old adolescents were gambling online and few parents and teachers were concerned that their child or students were participating in internet gambling. Although the majority of parents considered internet gambling to be a serious youth issue, it was not considered as serious as other risky adolescent behaviours. A low percentage of teachers and students considered internet gambling as serious compared to other risk taking behaviour in teenagers. The picture was markedly different for other forms of gambling. More than half of all 14 to 16 year olds surveyed had participated in at least one gambling activity in the previous 12 months. While participation rates in a range of gambling activities were low, a dare or a challenge was the most common activity. Boys were more likely to bet on the horses and sports events whilst for girls it was a dare or a challenge followed by pull tab/scratch tickets. A large majority of parents and teachers had a clear understanding of the risks of internet gambling and other high risk adolescent activities. However, 14 to 16 year olds had markedly less concerns than parents and teachers about the impact of internet gambling on them as individuals in the present moment. Teachers were more concerned than parents that their students/child may be participating in a range of gambling activities, and mothers discuss serious youth issues with their children more often than fathers, although very few have conversations with their children about internet gambling. Parents and teachers report that little information is available about gambling and problem gambling in teenagers and it is rarely addressed in school curricula in Ballarat. Teenagers are most likely to approach a family member or school counsellor for help if they have a problem with gambling, whilst parents would prefer to seek help from the school counsellor first if they believe their child has a problem with gambling. Recommendations have been made from the research findings and the limitiations of project discussed. 9

10 Recommendations To educate parents, teachers and teenagers about the risks of a broad range of gambling activities and problem gambling, including online gambling, and to include discussion about what constitutes gambling. That up to date resources already developed by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation and others that are available in the public domain are used to educate parents, teachers and adolescents about gambling and the risks of problem gambling. To incorporate the following into parent education about online gambling: The potentially serious consequences of problem gambling in order to gain a better perspective of the risks of gambling in relation to other high risk youth behaviours. Target mothers for specific education sessions about online gambling as they are already conversing with their children about other serious teen issues. This could include the provision of education sessions at times accessible to mothers, prompts and circumstances that may facilitate discussions, and how to capitalise on the rapport they have already developed with their children in discussing other serious youth issues. Target fathers for specific education sessions to encourage them to start conversations with their children about any serious youth issues in order to open the door for discussions about online gambling regardless of any fears they or their child might have about such conversations. These can be delivered at a time of day most accessible to men. Encouragement for both mothers and fathers to begin conversations with their children about serious teen issues, including internet gambling, even if they feel the discussion may be limited by their child s fear of how they would react or not thinking they would understand. Parents could be encouraged to preface their conversation with their child by stating these potential limitations up front. Encourage parents to act as positive role models in relation to the gambling behaviour they desire in their children. Advise parents to encourage their children to seek help from a family member if they have a problem with gambling even if it is not the parent, or approach the school guidance counsellor or a teacher as an alternative. Delivery of information about teenage gambling and problem gambling incorporating parents preferred mode which is through the school bulletin/newsletter and information packages. Education about the presence, marketing to and easy accessibility of online gambling aimed at teenagers. To incorporate the following into teacher education about online gambling: The potentially serious consequences of problem gambling in order to gain a better perspective of gambling in relation to other high risk youth issues. Referral pathways for students who seek help for problem gambling, including school counsellors as well as other professional services in the local community. Advise teachers to encourage their children to seek help from a family member if they have a problem with gambling even if it is not their parent, or approach the school guidance counsellor or a teacher as an alternative. Delivery of information about teenage gambling and problem gambling incorporating teachers preferred methods which are through websites, school bulletins/newsletters & information packages, documentaries and news stories. Education about the presence, easy accessibility and marketing of online gambling aimed at teenagers. 10

11 To incorporate the following into student education about online gambling: The inherent risks in believing that participation in gambling activities in the here and now is alright even though they know that these can result in problem gambling as they move into adulthood. The potentially serious consequences of gambling and problem gambling in order to gain a better perspective of gambling in relation to other high risk youth issues. Delivery of information about teenage gambling and problem gambling incorporating students preferred methods which are news stories and multimedia. In collaboration with other agencies, to lobby the State Government of Victoria, the DEECD and principals of local Ballarat schools to include education about the risks of online gambling, other forms of gambling and problem gambling in school curricula and build the capacity of teachers to deliver this material. Health professionals and other organizations who market and deliver education sessions for parents, teachers and students should be mindful of ways that each of these groups prefer to receive information about the risks of gambling and problem gambling as this may increase the likelihood that they will engage with the information. That future research involving school students under the age of 18 years consider obtaining parental consent by informing parents that their child/ren will be completing a survey for research into teenage gambling and that it is the parents responsibility to let the school know if they do not wish for their child to participate. Further research to determine the influence of parental gambling behaviour on the incidence of gambling in children and their likelihood of becoming problem gamblers. Further research to determine whether some forms of gambling, such as internet gambling and poker, are more likely to become problematic than others such as raffle, lotto and scratch tickets. 11

12 Background With the recent proliferation of gambling advertising in all forms of media including the internet, there is increased exposure of young people to gambling where it is viewed as an exciting and harmless activity that is fun and enjoyable and leads to winning easy money 1, 2. Adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 years are well aware of gambling advertisements attempt to sell gambling through positive messages and images, although they do not always understand the messages, and boys are more likely to remember the ad s than girls 3. Online gambling is a rapidly growing industry where participants can gamble in the privacy of their own space using digital media such as computers and mobile phones 4. About a quarter of young people between the ages of 13 and 18 in Iceland have been reported as having gambled at least once on the internet 5, with this figure being between 13 and 16% in Australia 6, and between 56% and 80% have gambled at least once when all gambling media are taken into consideration 7, 8. The advent of internet gambling is purportedly changing the way people gamble with recent research in Australia finding in a large sample of adults that 8.1% of participants had gambled at least once online in the previous 12 months, and were more likely to be male, younger, have internet access at home, spend more money on gambling, gamble more frequently and particpate in a larger range of gambling activities 9. The incidence of problem gambling in Australian youth has been reported as between 3-4% and up to 7 % 10, and overseas as between 4 and 8%, thus being more prevalent than in adults (~2%) 11. Problem gambling has been defined as being characterised by difficulties in limiting money and/or time spent on gambling which leads to adverse consequences for the gambler, others, or for the community 12. The likelihood of adolescent internet gamblers becoming problem gamblers is higher than the incidence when all adolescent gamblers are combined, and problem gambling is most likely to be found in teenagers who participate in internet gambling as well as other land-based gambling activities 13. Online young adult gamblers have been reported to have a significantly higher risk of becoming problem gamblers than land-based gamblers 14, although a more recent Australian study suggested that this is not the case but rather that young people who 1 Griffiths M & Wood R The psychology of lottery gambling. International Gambling Studies 1: Monaghan S, Derevensky J & Sklar A Impact of gambling advertisements and marketing on children and adolescents: Policy recommendations to minimize harm. Journal of Gambling Issues 22: McMullan JL, Miller DE & Perrier DC I ve seen them so much they are just there : Exploring young people s perceptions of gambling in advertising. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 10: Larsen A Gambling in the virtual world: An exploration into the online gambling experiences of young adults in South Australia. Master of Mental Health Thesis, Flinders University of South Australia. 5 Thor Olason D, Kristjandsdottir E, Linarsdottir H, Haraldsson H, Bjarnason G & Derevensky J Internet gambling and problem gambling among 13 to 18 year old adolescents in Iceland. International Journal of Mental Health Addiction 9: Purdie N, Matters G, Hillman k, Murphy M, Ozolins c & Millwood P Gambling and Young People in Australia. Australian Council for Educational Research Ltd. 7 Thor Olason D, Kristjandsdottir E, Linarsdottir H, Haraldsson H, Bjarnason G & Derevensky J Internet gambling and problem gambling among 13 to 18 year old adolescents in Iceland. International Journal of Mental Health Addiction 9: Purdie N, Matters G, Hillman K, Murphy M, Ozolins C & Millwood P Gambling and Young People in Australia. Australian Council for Educational Research Ltd. 9 Gainsbury SM, Russell A, Hing N, Wood R Lubman D & Blaszczynski A How the internet is changing gambling: Findings from an Australian prevalence survey. Journal of Gambling Studies Published online: 11 August. 10 Purdie N, Matters G, Hillman k, Murphy M, Ozolins c & Millwood P Gambling and Young People in Australia. Australian Council for Educational Research Ltd. 11 Campbell C, Derevensky J, Meerkamper E & Cutajar J Parents perceptions of adolescent gambling: A Canadian national study. Journal of Gambling Issues 25: Neal P, Delfabbro P & O Neil M Problem Gambling and Harm: Towards a National Definition. Published on behalf of Gambling Research Australia by the Office of Gaming and Racing, Victorian Government Department of Justice, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 13 Thor Olason D, Kristjandsdottir E, Linarsdottir H, Haraldsson H, Bjarnason G & Derevensky J Internet gambling and problem gambling among 13 to 18 year old adolescents in Iceland. International Journal of Mental Health Addiction 9: Larsen A Gambling in the virtual world: An exploration into the online gambling experiences of young adults in South Australia. Master of Mental Health Thesis, Flinders University of South Australia. 12

13 are problem gamblers participate in a range of gambling activities and internet gambling is often included 15. More young males develop problem gambling than females, and adolescent males are more likely to have problem internet use than females 16 implying a greater potential for problem internet gambling. It has also been reported that gambling in young people can lead to problem gambling as an adult 17 and has been associated with greater than normal incidence of other high risk behaviours such as drinking, drug use and smoking 18, 19, 20, 21. Considering the incidence of online gambling in teenagers in Australia and the problem internet gambling behaviour observed in adult males as young as 18, internet gambling can be highlighted as a potentially serious issue that may begin in early adolesence. Parents do not perceive gambling among adolescents to be as serious as other risky behaviours such as drug and alcohol use, drinking and driving, unsafe sexual practices, smoking and bullying in schools, and almost all consider that problem gambling has not personally impacted their child in contrast to other risky practices 22. Similarly, recent research in Australia showed that young people consider other addictive behaviours to be of greater importance than problem gambling or its effects 23. The Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) released an Adolescent Community Profile for the City of Ballarat in 2010 providing local level information on the health, wellbeing, learning, safety and development of adolescents to equip communities with information required to identify the needs of adolescents and their families 24. This included key areas of vulnerability for adolescents to help with early intervention and community service agencies working with vulnerable families and young people. While a broad range of lifestyle risk factors for adolescents were identified, problem gambling was not raised as an issue. A broad range of electronic and other resources and interventions have been developed for adolescents, teachers, parents and professionals about the risks of gambling and how to identify problem gambling 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. Where a community identifies that problem gambling amongst young people exists, these resources can be implemented as key prevention strategies. 15 Purdie N, Matters G, Hillman k, Murphy M, Ozolins c & Millwood P Gambling and Young People in Australia. Australian Council for Educational Research Ltd. 16 Brezing C, Derevensky JL & Potenza M Non-substance-addictive behaviours in youth: Pathological gambling and problematic internet use. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America 19: Campbell C, Derevensky J, Meerkamper E & Cutajar J Parent s perceptions of adolescent gambling: A Canadian national study. Journal of Gambling Issues 25: Winters, K.C., Stinchfield, R.D., & Kim, L.G. (1995). Monitoring adolescent gambling in Minnesota. Journal of Gambling Studies, 11, Winters, K.C., Stinchfield, R.D., Botzet, A., & Anderson, N. (2002). A prospective study of youth gambling behaviors. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 16, Winters, K.C., & Anderson, N. (2000). Gambling involvement and drug use among adolescents. Journal of Gambling Studies, 16, Purdie N, Matters G, Hillman k, Murphy M, Ozolins c & Millwood P Gambling and Young People in Australia. Australian Council for Educational Research Ltd. 22 Parents as partners: Quantitative National Findings A collaborative project between DECODE and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviours. 23 Purdie N, Matters G, Hillman k, Murphy M, Ozolins c & Millwood P Gambling and Young People in Australia. Australian Council for Educational Research Ltd. 24 Molaeb H, Reid C & Teleki I Adolescent Community Profile City of Ballarat. Victorian Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 25 International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviours. Accessed What s the big deal? Talking to teen about gambling. Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. 27 The Responsible Gambling Guide, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. 28 Parentbet.net : A source about youth gambling especially for parents. 29 Consumer Education in Schools Program Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. Accessed on at: 30 Gambling and Young People: impacts, challenges and responses discussion paper Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. 13

14 Aims & Objectives The aim of this research was to investigate the incidence of online gambling among teenagers in the Ballarat area, determine parent, student and teacher awareness of and attitudes to gambling and problem gambling, and how the risk of gambling and problem gambling is addressed. The specific objectives were: To determine the incidence of online gambling and other forms of gambling among teenage students at a cross section of secondary schools in Ballarat representing different socioeconomic groups. To determine the awareness and attitudes of students, teachers and parents in Ballarat to gambling and problem gambling. To ascertain whether parents and teachers address the issue of problem online gambling and other forms of gambling with children/students, and if so how this is undertaken. 14

15 Method Design Data was collected using surveys for parents, teachers and students. Surveys were developed from previous research available in the public domain 31. The survey for parents was drawn almost in its entirety from that used in the Parents as Partners Canadian National Study 32, while the survey for teachers and the survey for students were created by drawing relevant questions from that survey. The only adaptations to the wording were to accommodate the different recipients eg does your child. becomes do you.., and different names of gambling activities in Australia compared to other countries. All three surveys were developed in electronic format using Lime Survey for participants to complete online. A hard copy of the parent survey was developed for parents who did not have access to appropriate media to complete the survey online. Surveys were designed to enable only parents, students and teachers who fulfilled the eligibility requirements to access the survey. All hard copy versions of the survey were only entered into the database if the eligibility criteria were fulfilled. Setting & Sample The research took place in government, independent and Catholic secondary schools in Ballarat, and students in Years 9 and 10 were invited to participate. Parents of students in Years 7 through to Year 12 inclusive were invited to complete the parent survey. These year levels were chosen to include children who were between 13 and 18 years of age to enable direct comparison with previous research 33. Parents with children in Years 9 and/or 10 were asked to provide consent for their child/ren to complete the student survey. Year 9 and 10 students were chosen for two reasons: (1) these year levels are already targeted for education about other high risk behaviours, and (2) Ballarat Community Health (BCH) who were conducting the reserach had strong links with local secondary schools providing health promotion activities to students in these year levels. Teachers of students in Years 7 to 12 were invited to complete the teacher survey. Ethics Consent was obtained from the Victorian DEECD and the Catholic Education Office, Ballarat to conduct the research in government and Catholic schools respectively in Ballarat. As the project was deemed high risk under the National Ethics Application Form (NEAF) Guidelines, ethics approval was obtained from the Ballarat Health Services and St John of God Human Research Ethics Committee (BHSSJOG HREC). Inclusion Criteria Students were eligible to participate in the research if they were in Years 9 and 10 at secondary schools in Ballarat and had returned to their school the consent form signed by both themselves and their parent. Parents were included if they had at least one teenager between the ages of 13 and 18 at the time of completing the survey. Where English was a second language for parents, an interpreter service was available to assist them with understanding the information provided about the research, consent for their child to complete the student survey and completion of the parent survey should they choose to do so. 31 Parents as partners: Quantitative National Findings A collaborative project between DECODE and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviours. 32 Parents as partners: Quantitative National Findings A collaborative project between DECODE and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviours. 33 Parents as partners: Quantitative National Findings A collaborative project between DECODE and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviours. 15

16 Teachers were eligible to participate in the research if they were teaching students in any year levels between 7 and 12 at the time of completing the survey. Recruitment Parents, teachers and students were recruited from secondary schools in the Ballarat. A letter of invitation for schools to participate was mailed from the Chief Executive Officer of BCH to the Principals of all government, independent and Catholic secondary schools in Ballarat. This was followed by a telephone call to the Principal from the project worker to organise a meeting to discuss the research and obtain signed consent from the Principal for the school to participate. This was a requirement of the BHSSJOG HREC approval for the project. Once approval to participate was obtained, the school Principal usually delegated the responsibility for implementation of the research in the school to a relevant staff member. All further communication, liaison and negotiation about the implementation of the research occurred between the delegated staff member and the research project worker. Schools who agreed to participate entered discussions with the project worker to make appropriate arrangements to implement the following recruitment strategies: or mail the following to all parents of students in Years 9-10: A letter of invitation to them and their child in Year 9 and/or 10 to participate in the research. A detailed explanation about the research including a link to the online version of the parent survey for them to complete. A hard copy of the parent survey (if mailed) with a reply paid envelope for its return to BCH where the school deemed that parents may not have access to a computer. A copy of the student consent form. or mail the following to all parents of students in Years Years 7-9 and 11-12: A letter of invitation to participate in the research. A detailed explanation about the research including a link to the online version of the parent survey for them to complete. A hard copy of the parent survey (if mailed) with a reply paid envelope for its return to BCH for schools who deemed that parents/guardians may not have access to a computer. the following to students in Years Years 9-10: A letter of invitation to participate in the research. An explanation about the research including a link to the online version of the student survey for them to complete if they consented and had obtained their parents/guardians consent. A hard copy of the consent form to be signed by them and their parent/guardian. the following to all teachers of students in Years 7-12: A letter of invitation to participate in the research. A detailed explanation about the research including a link to the online version of the teacher survey for them to complete. Administration Where schools required hard copies of the participant information sheet, the parent survey, reply paid envelope, and a blank envelope for all documents to be mailed to parents, these were provided by BCH and the school was responsible for addressing them and invoicing BCH for the postage. 16

17 Consent Written consent from parents was obtained to enable students under the age of 18 years to participate in the research. This was a requirement of the Victorian DEECD for research undertaken in government schools 34. Written student consent was also obtained as it was considered that Year 9 and 10 students have the capacity to give voluntary and informed consent 35. Access to the link to the electronic survey was not provided to students until the consent form had been signed by both themselves and their parents and returned to school and placed in a box to be collected by the project worker. Parents and teachers consent to participate was implied by their completion and submission of the survey, so written consent was not obtained. Procedure Parents either completed the survey online or in hard copy format and returned it to BCH in a reply paid envelope. Teachers completed the survey online at their convenience. Once students had submitted the signed consent form, they completed the survey online in the school computer laboratory in lesson time supervised by a teacher. Data collection Surveys for parents, teachers and students were created in Lime Survey, and a hard copy of the parent survey developed. Data from the hard copy parent surveys was entered manually into Lime Survey. Once all data was entered, it was downloaded from Lime Survey into an Excel spreadsheet for analysis Confidentiality All data collected was anonymous and therefore confidentiality was ensured. All completed hard copy surveys are stored in a locked filing cabinet in the office of the principal researcher to be accessed only by the researchers. All electronic survey data is stored in a file on the BCH intranet with access restricted to the researchers. Data analysis Survey data was analysed and expressed as percentages for both the incidence of online gambling and comparison between categories, including male and female parents, students and teachers. 34 Conducting research in Victorian government schools and early childhood settings: Guidelines for applicants. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development 35 National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research Australian Government. 17

18 Results Survey responses A total of 463 complete responses to the surveys were obtained from parents, students and teachers. All responses were electronic with the exception of 83 hard copy parent surveys that were entered manually through Lime Survey. There were more responses from parents than students or teachers (Table 1). Almost two thirds of student respondents were from private schools with the greatest proportion of these from non-catholic independent schools (Table 1). Table 1 Numbers of survey responses in each cohort, and the percentage of students who attended each school type Survey type Sample size (n) Catholic schools Independent schools Government schools Parent Student % 42% 37% Teacher

19 Percentage Percentage Demographic data Gender There were more female than male respondents to the parent and teacher surveys, and although there were slightly more male students who responded than females, the gender split was relatively even (Table 2). Table 2 Percentage of each cohort who were male and female Survey type Females (%) Males (%) Parents Teachers Students Age Although there was overlap in the ages of teachers and parents, almost two thirds of parents were in their forties whilst almost one third of teachers were in their thirties and another third in their fifties (Figure 1). Approximately 50% of parents who completed the survey indicated that the child their responses pertained to was either 14 or 15 years old, whilst over three quarters of the students who completed the student survey were either 14 or 15 years old (Figure 2) Age Teacher Parent Figure 1 Age of parent and teacher respondents to the survey Age Child Students Figure 2 Age of the child in the parent survey and age of Year 9 & 10 students in the student survey 19

20 Country of birth Whilst the majority of teachers, parents and students were Australian, one fifth of the teachers were born outside Australia ( Table 3). Table 3 Country of birth of all survey respondents Country of birth Parent (%) Teacher (%) Student (%) Australia United Kingdom Other Family status The majority of families surveyed had two parents living at home ( Table 4). Table 4 Percentage of families in the parent and student surveys where children were living with one or both parents Family status Parent Survey (%) Student Survey (%) Two parent living with the child/ren One parent living with the child/ren Parent employment status There was an equal distribution between parents who worked full and part time when the data for all parents were combined ( Table 5). When the data was examined more closely, more females worked part time than full time in contrast to the males where the greatest majority worked full time. More than twice as many mothers were stay at home parents compared to fathers. Table 5 Employment status of parents Employment status Total (%) Female (%) Male (%) Full time Part time Stay at home parent Parent education Two thirds of parents had completed some form of higher education with almost half of all parents undertaking either an undergraduate degree or further education such as TAFE or CAE (Table 6). Table 6 Parents highest level of education Highest education level Parents (%) Did not complete high school 19 Completed high school 15 Trade school certificate 5 Further education (TAFE, CAE etc) 26 Undergraduate degree 23 Postgraduate degree 12 20

21 Incidence of online gambling Parents Seventy nine percent of parents surveyed had participated in at least one form of gambling during the previous 12 months. When parents were asked which type of gambling activities they had participated in, almost three quarters indicated lotto/draw tickets, approximately a fifth had used pull tabs/scratch tickets and a similar number indicated that they had not participated in any of these activities (Figure 3). Only one percent of parents had participated in internet gambling and gambling through facebook (Figure 3). Although 9% had used free computer gambling games, none had participated in these for money (Figure 3). When male and female parents were considered separately, slightly more mothers than fathers reported using lotto/draw tickets, free computer gambling games, bingo or not undertaking any of the gambling activities, whilst fathers were more likely to use pull tab/scratch tickets, or bet on the horses or sport (Figure 4). Fathers were more likely to participate in internet gambling, although this only constituted six percent of the male cohort, whilst mothers were more likely to play free computer gambling games (Figure 4). Both mothers and fathers showed little or no participation in computer gambling games for money and gambling through facebook (Figure 4). Lotto /draw tickets None of the options Pull tabs/scratch tickets Horse racing Free computer gambling games Bingo Keno Betting on sports events Sports lottery or sports pool A dare or challenge Internet gambling Gambling through facebook Casino table games Live poker Sports through a bookie Online poker Computer gambling games for money Percentage 71 Figure 3 Gambling activities that parents had participated in during the previous 12 months When parents were asked whether they had ever participated in any of the gambling activities for money listed in Figure 5 with their child, just over half indicated they had not done so. The most commonly reported activities they were involved in with their child included raffle tickets for fundraising, pull tabs/scratch tickets, lotto/draw tickets and horse racing (Figure 5). Of the parents who participated with their children in gambling activities for money, 20% reported that they had shared a joint lotto/draw ticket with their child once or twice a year, while about 10% played card games for money with their child, betted on activities they participated in together or played bingo once or twice a year ( Figure 6). When lotto/draw tickets were examined separately, 94% percent of parents had never given their child a lotto/draw ticket as a gift, and of those who had, almost half had done so between two and four times (Figure 7). 21

22 Lotto /draw tickets None of the options Pull tabs/scratch tickets Horse racing Free computer gambling games Bingo Keno Betting on sports events Sports lottery or sports pool Gambling through facebook A dare or challenge Casino table games Internet gambling Sports through a bookie Computer gambling games for money Live poker Online poker Percentage Fathers Mothers Figure 4 Gambling activities that mothers and fathers had participated in during the previous 12 months None of the options Raffle tickets for fundraising Pull tabs/scratch tickets Lotto /draw tickets Horse racing A dare or challenge Computer games Joint lotto/draw tickets Other card games Betting on sports events Betting on activities you are participating in together Keno Sports lottery or sports pool Bingo Internet gambling Live poker Casino table games Online poker Percentage 53 Figure 5 Gambling activities for money that parents have participated in with their children 22

23 Percentage Percentage Joint lotto/draw tickets Card games for money Betting on activities you are participating in together Bingo Weekly Monthly Once or twice a year Figure 6 Frequency of parents participation in gambling with their child Once 2-4 times 5-10 times 10+ times Figure 7 Number of times a child has received a lotto/draw ticket as a gift 0 23

24 Students Fifty one percent of students had participated in at least one form of gambling in the 12 months prior to completing the survey. The most frequently reported gambling activity was a dare or a challenge in which one third of students had participated, followed by pull tab/scratch tickets and horse racing (Figure 8). Overall, only 2% of students had participated in internet gambling or gambling through facebook, 3% in free computer gambling games and 1% in computer gambling games for money (Figure 8). When the data was examined for differences in gambling activity between male and female students, 49% of females and 53% of male students had participated in at least one form of gambling in the previous 12 months (Figure 9). Girls were more likely to take on a dare or a challenge, use pull tab/scratch tickets and play bingo, whilst boys were more likely to bet on the horses or sport and use lotto/draw tickets (Figure 9). Two percent of boys and girls had gambled on the internet, and similarly for gambling on facebook and free computer gambling games (Figure 9). Two percent of girls were involved in computer gambling games for money (Figure 9). None of the above A dare or challenge Pull tabs/scratch tickets Horse racing Betting on sports events Lotto /draw tickets Sports lottery or sports pool Bingo Other card games for money Online poker Keno Casino table games Free computer gambling games Live poker Internet gambling Gambling through facebook Computer gambling games for money Percentage Figure 8 Gambling activities students had participated in during the previous 12 months. When students were asked how frequently they had gambled on the internet specifically in the previous 12 months, the largest percentage had participated less than monthly (76%) (Figure 10). No boys had gambled weekly or daily, and almost one third of girls who gambled on the internet had done so daily (Figure 10). Closer inspection of the raw data showed that only seven girls in total had gambled on the internet in the previous 12 months, and two of these gambled daily. 24

25 None of the above A dare or challenge Pull tabs/scratch tickets Horse racing Bingo Sports lottery or sports pool Lotto /draw tickets Betting on sports events Keno Other card games for money Online poker Internet gambling Gambling through facebook Casino table games Free computer gambling games Live poker Computer gambling games for money Male Female Figure 9 Gambling activities that female and male students had participated in during the previous 12 months Less than monthly Monthly Weekly Daily Percentage All Males Females Figure 10 Frequency that students have gambled on the internet in the previous 12 months 25

26 Access to the internet and money More than half the parents surveyed indicated that their children have access to the internet in their bedroom, whilst almost 70% of students in Years 9 and 10 indicated they have a computer/laptop with internet access in their bedroom (Table 7). Although two thirds of parents monitor their child s online activities in some way, only half enforced rules about time allowed online (Table 8). Less than a third of parents set any limits around online access and only 4% had installed anti-gambling software (Table 8). Overall, parents in the Canadian study reported that their children had less access to the internet in their bedroom and more controls in place to monitor their child s online activity. Table 7 Child and student access to the internet and credit Parent response (%) Student response (%) Child/student has computer/laptop with internet access in their bedroom Child/student gets an allowance Access to personal debit card Access to family credit card 4 7 Access to credit card 3 17 Table 8 How parents monitor their child's online activity Number of parents (%) Monitor online activity 67 Placed a computer in a common space where family is usually present 70 Enforced strict rules about the length of time allowed online 52 Set controls on the computer to limit visiting inappropriate sites 32 Set limits to restrict online chatting 31 Set limits to restrict participation in social networking sites 35 Installed an anti-gambling software program 4 Have not done any of the above options to monitor online activity 19 Just under half of all parents and students reported that teenagers receive an allowance (Table 7), and for most children/students this is under forty dollars per week (Figure 11). Half the parents indicated that their child doesn t receive an allowance (Figure 11), but this may reflect inclusion of younger children than the student survey and also children who have part time work who may not receive an allowance in addition to this. Considering that children/students have access to the internet and money either as cash or credit, nearly three quarters of parents reported that they would be concerned if their child was gambling with any amount of money (Table 9). 26

27 Percentage Dollars ($) Students report Parents report Figure 11 Dollars per week allowance that children/students receive Table 9 Parents reponse to the question 'If your child did gamble with money, at what amount would it concern you?' Amount of money Percentage of parents Any amount 73.0 $1 4.8 $5 6.5 $ $ $ $

28 Attitudes Attitudes towards serious teen issues When parents, teachers and students were asked how serious they consider a range of risky teenage behaviours to be, a higher percentage of parents and teachers than students considered them very serious and serious (Figure 12). More than 85% of parents and teachers considered almost all issues very serious and serious with the exception of internet gambling which was rated as a serious issue by only 31% of teachers, 44% of students and 61% of parents (Figure 12). Online activities (excessive computer game playing, spending too much time online and internet gambling) were rated very serious and serious the least by students (Figure 12). Drinking & driving Drug use Alcohol use Depression Obesity, eating disorders Violence in schools, bullying Negative body image Smoking Unsafe sexual activities Excessive computer game playing Spending too much time online Internet gambling Percentage of 'very serious' and 'serious' Parents Teachers Students Figure 12 Percentage of parents, teachers and students who consider these teen issues as 'very serious' and 'serious' When mothers and fathers attitudes about the seriousness of the youth issues was examined, more mothers than fathers believed that smoking, drinking & driving, alcohol use, internet gambling, too much time online, depression and negative body image were very serious and serious (Figure 13). In contrast, female and male teachers perceptions of the seriousness of these issues was similar with the exception of excessive computer game playing that male teachers considered very serious and serious more often (Figure 14). Female students considered most of the high risk youth issues as very serious and serious more frequently than males students with the exception of online activities, obesity/eating disorders and depression that both male and female students considered similarly serious (Figure 15). 28