A international push to restrict the casting of young actors in gambling ads has been met with approval from Wagga's support services.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Gambling help counsellor with Wagga Family Support Centre, Julie McDermott has praised the effort to remove young actors from commercials.
But, she says, more needs to be done to ready the city's young people against the barrage of online gambling, especially as the autumn carnival betting season approaches.
"I think the theory behind it is that when young people see people who look their age gambling, when that looks good to them and they can actually see themselves doing it, then they're more likely to get into gambling," Ms McDermott said.
"By eliminating actors who are 25 or under from the ads, it works to be less encouraging for young people to gamble."
Australian advocates have launched a campaign to remove young faces from gambling ads after the United Kingdom's Committee of Advertising Practice voted to restrict gambling products targeted at people aged below 18.
Among the new European laws is the caveat that actors in the ads must not be younger than 25.
But Australian advocates have pushed beyond the birth certificate, indicating that actors who look 25 or younger must also be barred.
"It's important with any movement that encourages people away from gambling that we see every age group [as potentially susceptible] to getting caught up in the ad," said Ms McDermott.
"Like with every industry, the commercials are there to promote only the good, they're not there to give an actual look at what gambling is actually like."
Ms McDermott agrees that while the movement is a good one, more focus needs to be placed on re-educating gamblers to see its reality.
"At the end of the day, it's paid entertainment and if we can get people seeing it that way, then we can get people to understand that like all entertainment, it needs to be carefully budgeted for," she said.
Not only will new advertisements be screened for the use of young actors, but there will also be restrictions on the promotion of 'youth culture', through cartoons and celebrity endorsements.
Ms McDermott sees this step as necessary to combat the ubiquity of modern advertising.
"Gambling has moved online, and these days, teenagers all have access to a mobile phone," she said.
"If that mobile phone comes with internet access, then you can gamble, it's as easy as that.
"It's also very easy, on some of these gambling apps, for someone to say they are over 18 when they are not, so we're left with a very tempting place for all age groups."
Online gambling, Ms McDermott said, has a further effect of disconnecting its user from reality.
"You can gamble anywhere now and you don't even need to part with actual cash," she said.
"If you're handing over actual cash, actual dollars and notes, then you tend to think twice about how much you're spending.
"When it's a credit card, doesn't feel real. It can feel like you're not really spending anything at all."
Recognising the rise of connected devices and internet gambling, many credit card companies have a policy of increasing interest on purchases made to gambling apps.
Or, the purchase may be treated as a cash advance on the credit card statement.
"In some cases, it's a deterrent to using your credit card on gambling sites, but if someone is really struggling to control their habit it's probably not going to change it that much."
Ms McDermott and the Wagga Family Support Services are trying to launch a more targeted opposition to the effects of gambling, by approaching schools to run healthy gambling sessions.
"This is a constant problem in Wagga," she said.
"We would love to work more closely with schools to help young people build a healthy lifelong relationship with gambling, but it's always worth noting that our services are open to the school-aged as well.
"If you're struggling with gambling, or suffering from someone else's struggle, come and see us because we're here to support you."
Gambling help can be found by visiting the Wagga Family Support Service at Suite 1 of 129 Fitzmaurice Street or by calling 69 216 104.