PARENTS REMINDED OF GAMBLING INFLUENCE ON CHILDREN IN NEW CAMPAIGN

Parents and caregivers are being reminded about their role in shaping children’s attitudes towards gambling in a harm minimisation campaign from the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling.

Former Canberra Raiders star and social media influencer Luke Bateman is fronting the GambleAware Parents’ Campaign, which targets men who have teenage children or play an influential role in their lives.

Mr Bateman was chosen to lead the campaign after speaking publicly about his battles with gambling while he was playing in the National Rugby League.

Office of Responsible Gambling Director Alison Parkinson said the campaign follows similar awareness messaging directed at parents in 2024 after research found two-thirds of NSW parents who gamble do so in front of their children, particularly fathers.

“Many parents, particularly fathers, underestimate the risks of gambling, with more than one-third either approving of or indifferent to adolescent gambling,” Ms Parkinson said.

“The Role of Parents in Youth Gambling 2022 study, the NSW Longitudinal Youth Gambling Study 2024 and the NSW Youth Gambling Study 2022 showed that young people who experience gambling harm often began gambling with parents at home and felt excited about gambling in adolescence.

“Our research shows parents and carers have the greatest influence on youth gambling and their children’s attitudes towards it.

“This awareness campaign aims to encourage parents to prevent harm by having open conversations and modelling safe behaviours.

“Simple things they can do include not gambling in front of their children, not helping them to gamble, talking to them about the risks of gambling and supervising them online.”

The campaign features Mr Bateman in videos on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify, and can be seen on his Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/lukebateman_

Mr Bateman has more than half a million followers on TikTok and Instagram, where he promotes reading through his book club and has joined Channel 9’s podcast series In The Good Books.

“The reason why I wanted to be involved in this campaign is because to me, this isn’t just a campaign,” Mr Bateman said.

“This is about very real and tangible human lives, including my own.

“Gambling harmed my life for a long time and continues to harm the lives of many people across Australia.

“This is about giving people access to knowledge that will in turn give them the ability to overcome gambling harm and to also become proactive in the prevention of it from their own lives, and the lives of their loved ones.

“I aim to use my experience, my voice and my passion on this issue, to benefit as many people as possible, and to remove the shame, secrecy, and lack of awareness that harmful gambling thrives within.”

For tips on how to limit children’s exposure to gambling, go to: gambleaware.nsw.gov.au/supporting-someone/supporting-young-people 

If you or someone you care about needs support or advice, call GambleAware on 1800 858 858 for free and confidential help and support 24/7.