Letter of the week: It's all too easy for the young to be lured into betting

Our writer fears it is far too easy for youngsters to gamble these days.

Gambling is so often the preserve of the poor and the desperate.

Sadly too many find themselves in such financial straits in the North East.

It is all too easy to be lured into betting.

And the growth of online gambling is making it even easier – all from the comfort of your own home or even out and about with a mobile phone.

Now it emerges that bookmakers are apparently targeting youngsters by using children’s cartoon characters to promote their online service.

I am glad to see that the Advertising Standards Authority is investigating, particularly as the Gambling Commission has found that shockingly 450,000 children are gambling in England and Wales every week.

Youngsters are particularly susceptible as playing online games is part of their culture.

The Local Government Association has revealed that one in 10 children aged 11 to 15 are “following” gambling firms on social media.

It is ironic that it was a Labour government that liberalised the gaming industry, allowing its evils to proliferate and it is those in its traditional heartlands, such as this region, who are paying a particularly high price.

Jonathan Arnott,Ukip North East MEPC/o Elwick Road,Hartlepool.

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