Children 賭事ing on fruit machines and scratchcards

Thousands of children spend their own money on a variety of 賭事ing activities, a new 報告（する）／憶測 says.

Fruit machines are the most popular form of underage 賭事ing with nearly half of 12 to 15 year olds playing them in the last year.

Almost three ４半期/4分の1s (73 per cent) of the 8,000 youngsters questioned had 賭事d at some 行う／開催する／段階 during their lifetimes.

And a ４半期/4分の1 (26 per cent) had spent their own money on some form of 賭事ing the week before 存在 questioned for the 国家の 宝くじ （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限's 報告（する）／憶測.

Placing 私的な bets for money and scratchcards were the second and third most popular forms of underage 賭事ing after fruit machines.

Of the 8,017 youngsters questioned, 3.5 per cent were classed as "problem" gamblers - 負かす／撃墜する from 4.9 per cent in 2000.

The 本体，大部分／ばら積みの of those played fruit machines while a small 百分率 spent money on scratchcards instead or 同様に.

存在 a problem gambler means having "執拗な and 頻発する" 賭事ing behaviour which has a 消極的な 衝撃 on the person's life, the 報告（する）／憶測 says.

Boys are more likely than girls to be problem gamblers, with the 率 増加するing amongst richer children, 研究員s 設立する.

Only one in eight young people (12 per cent) had played a 国家の 宝くじ draw game in the past year compared to 26 per cent in 2000.

Although より小数の children play the Lotto draw they now spend "意味ありげに" more money on it than in 2000, the 報告（する）／憶測 says.

Youngsters spent an 普通の／平均（する） £5.73 on the draw the week before 存在 questioned - up from £3.22 in 2000.

Shops and supermarkets are the most popular places for children to get tickets for 国家の 宝くじ games and scratchcards.

Some buy the tickets themselves - which is 違法な. In other 事例／患者s, parents 合法的に bought the tickets on their children's に代わって.

Half the children who tried to buy a scratchcard the week before 存在 questioned had been successful while the other half were 辞退するd.

Only a ４半期/4分の1 of the youngsters who tried to buy Lotto tickets were successful.

国家の 宝くじ （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限 議長，司会を務める Anne Wright said: "We take the 予防 of underage play on the 国家の 宝くじ very 本気で, and are encouraged that 報告（する）／憶測d underage 参加 in the 国家の 宝くじ has 意味ありげに 減少（する）d."

研究員s from Ipsos MORI asked 8,017 youngsters 老年の 12 to 15 to fill out questionnaires about 賭事ing during classroom lessons.

The 'Under 16s and the 国家の 宝くじ' 報告（する）／憶測 was carried out by MORI and Nottingham Trent University's International 賭事ing 研究 部隊 on に代わって of the 国家の 宝くじ （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限, which 規制するs the 宝くじ.

宝くじ 操作者 Camelot said: "Camelot welcomes the 国家の 宝くじ （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限's 独立した・無所属 研究 which 明確に shows that the wide 範囲 of 率先s Camelot has introduced to 妨げる the sale of 宝くじ 製品s to those under 16, are working."