The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation has come to the rescue of many concerned parents worried about their children’s online surfing behaviours.
Whether it happens by accident or on purpose, it’s likely kids will wind up on some sites that they shouldn’t be. And what could be more enticing that an online casino site? Designed to attract user with exciting games and graphics, it’s literally a haven for kids looking for something interesting to do. The online gambling often starts simply with the free play games available at many online casinos and when they find they have a little cash, that’s when the real wagering begins.
In actuality the number of children and young adults who gamble online is a bit shocking. A three-year old study commissioned by the Gaming Corporation found that 15% of 18 year olds and 19% of children 15-17 years old admitted they had gambled online. The study also revealed that 60% of those young gamblers were boys and 25% were girls.
Thankfully the new software, said to be the first of its kind and aptly named BetStopper, was designed as a reaction toward the lack of any type of security system out there. BetStopper actually looks for gaming URLs as well as gaming language on a website and was proven to have a 98% success rate in blocking gaming sites. The software also ran a trial run with 250 Nova Scotian families in 2007 with much success.
BetStopper is set to be launched this upcoming weekend at the ‘We Love Our Children Expo’ at Exhibition Park in Halifax, NS. It will also be distributed at a variety of public events throughout Nova Scotia in the summer months. Those outside of Nova Scotia can get a copy by contacting the gaming corporation at www.nsgc.ca.
