High number of teens playing pokies in bars

A disturbingly high number of 15-year-olds play gaming machines in pubs, bars and restaurants.

A Christchurch survey of teenage gamblers found over 63 per cent of males and 45 per cent of females aged 15 played poker machines at least once a week.

The minimum age for playing poker machines on licensed premises is 18.

The survey was carried out by Community Action for Responsible Gambling (Carg), and was completed by 1096 pupils in eight secondary schools.

Carg is a voluntary body representing community health and interest groups in Canterbury.

A total of 332 pupils said they did not gamble. The other 764 said they had gambled and 72 per cent of them spent under $5 a week on gambling.

More than 100 pupils said they spent up to $20 a week on gambling.

Canon David Morrell, a Carg member, said those who gambled spent money on Lotto, pokies, racing, sport betting and internet gambling.

Nearly 90 per cent of those who gambled participated regularly in games such as Lotto, Risk, Keno and Scratch'n Win, Canon Morrell said.

"However, over half of those who gamble also play potentially addictive gaming machines, which account for the vast majority of people with gambling problems.

"The figures for males, and for 15-year-olds especially, are disturbingly high."

Overall, 54 per cent of all pupils who gambled played gaming machines; 27 per cent bet on horses or sports, and 5 per cent gambled on the internet.

"The huge growth of gaming machines in communities in recent years has opened the door to significant underage gambling activity,"Canon Morrell said.

"With over half the under-18-year-olds playing pokies illegally, it appears that operators are disregarding the law and regulators are failing to enforce it."

Canon Morrell said the figures were an urgent wake-up call to the Government to introduce gambling education in schools.

"A third of the income of all of this is actually tax and the Government will have to consider the health of our young"

- NZPA