Advocates of children's rights are calling for clearer legislation to govern gambling by children.

Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, the advocates also insisted that parents must desist from practising double standards in relation to gaming.

They were responding to a study released on Friday which showed that 10.7 per cent of children surveyed were problem gamblers while another 9.6 per cent were classified as at risk of problem gambling.

The study, entitled 'Gambling Among Children and Adolescents in Jamaica' was carried out by Rise Life Management Services.

"None of us can be surprised by this report," said Betty-Ann Blaine, convenor of Hear the Children Cry. "Clearly, children are mirroring what adults are doing."

Blaine noted that the society has become dysfunctional to the point that many children are the heads of households and are forced to put food on the table. She was, however, quick to point out that this cannot be used as an excuse.

"This must stop and the only way we can do that is if we have laws in place that are clear," she said.

She further added that the laws should outline where a child can or cannot go because, in many instances, these children are sent to purchase these gambling tickets.

Values and attitudes

Children's Advocate Mary Clarke was very strident in her response to the study.

"It is very serious (the findings of the survey). It goes back to values and attitudes, what we are teaching our children. I think it is a learned behaviour. We have a lot of double standards," she said. "Parents need to teach our children the right values and attitudes."

Adding to this, Blaine said: "We have become materialistic; there is now a culture of gambling. Children are being fed on a steady diet of gambling. They are the ones being sent out to buy the Lotto."

Executive director of Rise, Sonita Morin Abrahams, who released the findings of the report at a press conference, said the study was done on schoolchildren aged 10 to 14 years, the 15-19 age group, and street children.

A sample size of 2,299 adolescents was used. Of this sample, just 68 per cent reported that they had been exposed to gambling, while 52 per cent said they had had the opportunity to play.

When asked the reasons for gambling, the study showed that 86.1 per cent of the at-risk youth said they wanted to win money. The survey also showed that each child spent an average of $13,400 over a six-month period at gambling establishments and $10,000 on horse racing for the same period.