4.7 Harm reduction advice
This section provides harm reduction advice for gambling-like gaming activities. For advice on preventing harmful gaming, and more information on the risks and benefits of gaming for young people, we recommend:
- Online Gaming Advice Hub from Internetmatters.org
- Parent Zone’s Gaming or Gambling resource
Advice for young people and families on gambling-like gaming activities:
Think about how much each game costs you
Consider the ongoing costs of playing a game before downloading it, including subscription fees and any in-game purchases.Set spending limits and track your spending
It can be easy to lose track of gaming spend, so make a point of setting spending limits. Then keep track to make sure you are able to stick to your limits.Use gift cards for purchases rather than debit or credit cards
Buy gift cards with pre-set credit, instead of linking debit or credit cards to your gaming accounts.Use parental controls
Set up parental controls to limit credit card access for gaming accounts. Consider setting these controls up with your child – it’s a good opportunity to discuss risks, limit-setting, and the value of online purchases.Set up email notifications for purchases
Link gaming accounts to an email address that you use regularly, so that any new purchases send you a notification.
For more general gambling harm reduction advice, and information about gambling education best practice, see Chapter 3.