Beware of children gambling on Internet, experts warn

Children who can access the Internet could easily access online gambling, and being allowed to put low bets on, more juveniles could wager online. A survey showed that Thai children as young as seven had tried online gambling, Siriporn Yodkamonsat, an academic at the Centre for Gambling Studies, said at a discussion in Bangkok yesterday on gambling among juveniles during school break.
Siriporn said they could even use real money to play a Facebook betting game, Bingo & Slots Friendzy. A website offered a card game that was the same as playing cards at a gambling den. Internet users also talked on many web-boards about how to gamble.
Taweesin Visanuyothin, director of the Institute of Child and Adolescent Ratchanakharin Mental Health, said parents should watch for changes in their children’s behaviour to see if they are addicted to gambling. Children suspected of gambling could lie, borrow their friends’ money, suffer worse academic achievement, have problems with time management, prefer being alone, spend more money and have quarrels with people in their family.