Up Gambling Limit to 21, Australian Government Told
8 Jun 2006
Gambling councilors in South Australia are urging the government to rethink its policy on underage gambling and consider upping the present age limit to at least 21 years of age. At the moment, youths from the age of sixteen are allowed to take on gambling through state run lotteries; however, this is about to change as the government is increasing that age from 16 to 18 years old.
Many gambling professionals are urging the government to enforce further restrictions and increase the age limit to 21. Although the state lottery seems a rather innocent form of gambling, the fact of the matter is that many gambling councilors feel that 18 year olds are not able to handle this form of pastime, as they don't have a real concept of money and spending. As a result, the government is being urged to increase the age limit up until when young people reach adulthood and can handle money in a more responsible way.
In the past five years, gambling has become quite problematic among teens in Australia. This could be put down, in part, to the intense exposure of the lottery and other gambling pastimes in the media. Although Australia does not want to ban wagering per se, it is certainly interested in keeping it well within the confines of the adult world.