However, not all gambling is the same, Mr Herewini said. While you must be 18 or over to buy or receive an Instant Kiwi ("scratchie"), play the pokies or place a bet at the TAB, and 20 or over to enter a casino, there is no age limit for playing Lotto, Big Wednesday, Bullseye or Keno.
Mr Herewini said there was a perception that gambling was not a problem for young people. However, a recent study by researchers at the University of Otago suggested otherwise.
"This study found [that] young people between the ages of 13 to 17 spent on average $3-$10 on gambling per week.
"Evidence also shows that the earlier in life a person begins to gamble, the more likely they are to develop a gambling problem."
Mr Herewini said no statistics were yet available for gambling figures among Wanganui's young people.
"But this is something that we want to make a priority in the new year," he said.
He is also concerned about online gambling that can suck young people in through social media sites such as Facebook.
"A lot of games are advertised through Facebook, and it can be hard to get away from.
"Many of these games start off free to play, but once you get to a certain level you have to pay to go any further. By then, people can be so hooked they'll pay for it."
Online "gaming" refers to free games, while online "gambling" is when money is involved, and one can lead to the other, Mr Herewini said. He said parents should talk to their children about the dangers of problem gaming and gambling.
