Cumberland City Council will kick-off a training, education and awareness project aimed at youth and youth service providers, after receiving funding from the NSW Government.
“The project will adopt a prevention and early intervention approach to gaming links to gambling, along with educational and awareness-raising methods targeted at young people, aged between 12 to 24 years-old, within Cumberland City,” Mayor of Cumberland City Council Steve Christou said.
According to the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic at the University of Sydney, up 50 to 70 per cent of young people take part in gambling.
The research suggests engaging in games, such as social casino games online, sets up young people for the real thing and increases irrational perceptions of winning actual cash.
Through the Odds on Youth project, Cumberland City Council will work with local youth, community workers and teachers to develop educational resources highlighting the links between gaming and gambling and the impacts on mental health.
“Cumberland City is home to nearly 40,000 youth aged up to 24 years-old and as a population, this number is increasing.
“The dangers linking gaming and gambling is a serious one for youth, particularly with the impacts of COVID 19 on mental health and well-being.
“It’s one we need to intervene in early,” Mayor Steve Christou said.
This project will be funded by the Office of Responsible Gaming.
