Children and gambling – evidence to inform regulation and responses in Ireland

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) classifies gambling and gaming disorders as addictive behaviours. Gambling-related harm is not limited to the individual who gambles but can impact their family and community and lead to financial difficulties, mental health issues, relationship problems, and addiction. With the development of a range of new gambling products, and the marketing for these products, children are potentially exposed to gambling more than ever before (Pitt et al. 2017) This report presents evidence on gambling activities of children aged 16 years in Ireland. The evidence was developed to inform the development of regulation, policy, programmes and services seeking to protect children from gambling harms.