A family member reported to me that her eighteen years old son has started gambling. She is not worried that he is gaming but her problem is that he is a student that solely depends on her for everything he needs. Her fear is also that her son might start stealing from her if he has no access to the money he needs to gamble. My relative has even started suspecting that some money she feels was misplaced might have been stolen by her son.
In a problem like this I think it is very possible, we must remember that this is gambling where someone especially who has experienced addiction he will move under his subconscious and do it based on his lust. And as we are discussing this that he is still a minor and is still very dependent on his parents regarding various needs including in terms of finance, so if he wants to gamble but does not have money then in my opinion it is very likely that he will steal money from people around him such as his closest family. Children who are still underage are still very vulnerable to any temptation that comes to them, they have high curiosity and always want to try new things, if gambling comes to them and they are interested then this is very dangerous. That's right, the only solution that can be done in my opinion is restrictions that must be very strict from both parents, tell him slowly and limit all access that allows him to do gambling such as cellphones or whatever it is. Nowadays gambling is very easy to access and I hope all parents realize this for the good of their own children.
I spoke to my nephew and he told me that he has never stolen from his mother to gamble. And he gambles with only his savings from his weekly stipend he receives from the family. And he won't gamble if he has no savings to do that. From my observation, he is a responsible gambler that is just enjoying the game and making a little money occasionally. The gambling age in my country is 18+, but his mother is insisting that he must stop. What will be your advice for this young boy?
That might be true, I mean he might be right that he didn't steal from his mom for gambling capital. But on the other hand you also have to be more suspicious of him, if you have gambled or know about some cases of people who are stressed because of gambling then I think you will find out more about the real truth. It could be that someone is saying no just to cover things up, it's very possible. I am an active gambler and I really feel some conditions in gambling including when you really want to gamble but don't have money, I really believe that if the parents continue to let it go then one day maybe the child will do things that are out of bounds, borrowing money from his colleagues to gamble is very possible and to steal it is also possible if he has lost his way. I honestly agree with what his mother did, I'm sure she's a good mother and really cares about what's best for her son. For now maybe he is still a beginner in gambling but believe me if it is allowed then someday bad things can happen, and I think this is what is in his mother's mind so insist on prohibiting it.