YES - John Carr, new technology adviser, NCH
Last week, the British Medical Association (BMA) published evidence that levels of gambling among young people were significantly higher than among adults. And it asked the Government to think again about some of the laws affecting young people's freedom to gamble.
The BMA was right and the emergence of super-casinos, while not directly affecting young people, will heighten and popularise gambling culture and perhaps make it seem cool, thus having an indirect effect.
NO - Dr Mark Griffiths, director, International Gaming Research Unit, Nottingham Trent University
At least, not directly. Although adolescents have wide access to gambling opportunities, especially in the form of fruit machines, casinos have strict entry requirements, which means it will be very hard for those under 18 to gain access to a super-casino. However, the wider acceptability of gambling may well encourage minors to gamble, particularly in media they find psychologically comfortable such as the internet.
NO - Dom Waghorn, digital interactive services director, YouthNet
Not necessarily. However, it is important that young people understand the issues related to gambling and have access to information and support.
Using funding recently received from the Responsibility in Gambling Trust, we will prepare new content for our youth web site TheSite.org and host live chat sessions to provide young people with a space to discuss concerns and find out more about gambling responsibly.
NO - Andrew Pool, head of online services, GamCare
Gambling and gaming have long been embedded in UK culture. Only two per cent of the population actually attend casinos on any kind of regular basis; we don't expect this will change dramatically with the introduction of a super-casino. It is still the case that the majority of young people contacting the GamCare helpline about gambling problems are playing fruit machines. Fortunately, new laws will remove these machines from unregulated and unlicensed venues.
