Tanzeel Ahmad, Student Jamia Ahmadiyya UK
The modern world is plagued with issues at every level of society. Not least of them is the increasingly hazardous rise of gambling, which is silently taking over entertainment, sports and even politics.
A new group is now slowly being trapped in its grasp: Children.
A recent report found illegal casinos had used the popular gaming site Roblox to draw children into online gambling. (“Illegal casinos are using Roblox to draw children into online gambling”, https://news.sky.com, 17 December 2024)
The report noted: “Although the unlicensed casinos are not published on Roblox, they allow children of any age to sign up using their Roblox credentials and bet their in-game currency (Robux) on games like slots and blackjack.
Winnings can be withdrawn as cryptocurrency – and then converted into real cash.”
A teenager in the US gambled Robux – a virtual currency on Roblox – worth £150,000. Despite his mother’s efforts to intervene, he found the rush of placing increasingly higher bets irresistible. He claimed to be unaware of the criminal nature of his actions and did not understand what gambling entailed.
The illegal casinos promoting these activities on Roblox lacked any safeguards, allowing children of any age with an account to participate.
According to a Sky News investigation, several moderators were aware that underage users were gambling on their platforms, yet no action was taken to stop it.
The impact and influence of gambling are serious and often more detrimental than people perceive, especially on young minds.
The impact and influence of gambling
The influence of the gambling industry can be understood from the 2024 US presidential elections. The final results of the elections were not first reported by a major news outlet – instead, they were announced by Polymarket, a gambling platform! (“How The Gambling Epidemic Is Destroying Society”, www.youtube.com)
Polymarket promotes a new kind of gambling, offering users the chance to buy shares on the outcomes of real-world events; from sports events to presidential elections, to what movies will hit the box office.
In effect, people are betting on almost everything these days.
But Polymarket is relatively new and betting sites generally have a massive impact on society. In 2022, the sports betting and lottery market size worldwide amounted to $235.46 billion US dollars. (“Sports betting worldwide – statistics & facts”, www.statista.com)
Today, sports and gambling are proven to have a symbiotic relationship; a rise in one means a rise in the other. Over half of the Premier League teams are sponsored by betting companies and youngsters are avid viewers of football.
Video games are also increasingly saturated with gambling-like mechanics. Popular franchises like FIFA, Fortnite and Call of Duty operate as pay-to-win systems – one particularly problematic feature is the loot box.
Loot boxes are virtual items that players purchase for a chance to win random in-game rewards, functioning like a slot machine by exploiting the allure of unpredictability.
“Emerging research suggests that loot box purchases and similar gambling behavior among children or teens can lead to problem gambling later in life. These activities seem fun and harmless, potentially normalizing risky behavior.” (“How Loot Boxes In Children’s Video Games Encourage Gambling”, www.forbes.com, 25 May 2023)
According to the House of Commons Library (https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8498/) there are significant concerns about the structural and psychological similarities between loot boxes and gambling. However, because loot boxes are not regulated by the Gambling Commission, they effectively open the door to gambling for children without any oversight. Children spend staggering sums of money to advance in games, often without their parent’s knowledge.
The UK’s Gambling Commission’s report for 2024 states:
“Just over one quarter (27 percent) of 11 to 17 year olds had spent their own money on any gambling activity in the 12 months prior to completing the survey.”
It further reports that “Over half of young people had seen or heard gambling advertising via online or offline platforms.” (“Young People and Gambling 2024: Official Statistics”, www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk)
In short, young people are being introduced to gambling from a young age, and there is little that is being done to prevent it.
As video games increasingly incorporate gambling elements or provide gateways to gambling, children are becoming vulnerable to developing addictions at an early age.
This has led to the gambling addiction wreaking havoc in society.
Gambling is known as an extremely dangerous addiction. One reason for this is that the next time an addict participates in the addiction it could change everything. An addict who has already lost most of their wealth believes the next gamble could really change everything. But we all know this isn’t the case.
This is evident as some reports suggest gambling has the highest suicide attempt rate of all addictions. (“Problem gamblers have highest suicide rate of any addiction disorder, studies show”, www.news5cleveland.com, 9 September 2021) In the UK, there are an estimated 250 to 650 gambling-related suicides each year. (“Written evidence submitted by Gambling with Lives”, https://committees.parliament.uk)
Why do young people gamble?
With all its risks and harms, why do young people gamble?
The Gambling Commission highlights one major reason:
“Most (80 percent) young people who spent their own money gambling in the last 12 months did so because they regard it as a fun thing to do.” (“Young People and Gambling 2024: Official Statistics”, www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk)
This element of seeking “fun” in gambling, especially for a youngster, is dangerous and can quickly spiral out of control.
But there’s more to it than just fun. For many, gambling offers an escape.
In times of financial hardship, it’s seen as a golden opportunity to win big – a way to survive and maybe even enjoy life. For those struggling to make ends meet, the promise of transforming poverty into wealth in an instant can be irresistible.
However, the same gamble that offers a false sense of hope can just as easily snatch it away. The poor, in chasing riches, especially through gambling, find themselves worse off – hopeless, helpless, or even homeless.
The adrenaline rush of believing that the next turn might deliver life-changing cash is intoxicating, and for many, impossible to resist.
Compounding the problem is the relentless bombardment of gambling advertisements. These ads are everywhere – on billboards, online and during prime-time events – normalising gambling and drawing in vulnerable individuals; especially the young.
Even more deceptive is the role of video games, particularly on platforms like Twitch, where gambling mechanics and loot boxes are showcased to young impressionable audiences.
These streams often glamorise the thrill of winning big, ignoring the reality of how rare such wins are. By the time young viewers realise the odds are against them, they’ve often already spent thousands, draining their parents’ wallets.
Even when parents intervene to stop the spending, the damage is often done. The attachment to gambling, the excitement and the false promise of an easy win leave young people ensnared.
For many, gambling becomes a lifelong trap, one they struggle to escape.
Islamic teachings on gambling
In Islam, gambling is forbidden, with no exceptions.
Allah the Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِنَّمَا الۡخَمۡرُ وَالۡمَیۡسِرُ وَالۡاَنۡصَابُ وَالۡاَزۡلَامُ رِجۡسٌ مِّنۡ عَمَلِ الشَّیۡطٰنِ فَاجۡتَنِبُوۡہُ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ
“O ye who believe! wine and the game of hazard and idols and divining arrows are only an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. So shun [each one of] them that you may prosper.” (Surah al-Ma’idah, Ch.5: V.91)
The next verse tells us why it is forbidden:
اِنَّمَا یُرِیۡدُ الشَّیۡطٰنُ اَنۡ یُّوۡقِعَ بَیۡنَکُمُ الۡعَدَاوَۃَ وَالۡبَغۡضَآءَ فِی الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَیۡسِرِ وَیَصُدَّکُمۡ عَنۡ ذِکۡرِ اللّٰہِ وَعَنِ الصَّلٰوۃِ فَہَلۡ اَنۡتُمۡ مُّنۡتَہُوۡنَ
“Satan desires only to create enmity and hatred among you by means of wine and the game of hazard, and to keep you back from the remembrance of Allah and from Prayer. But will you keep back?” (Surah al-Ma’idah, Ch.5: V.92)
In gambling, when one participant wins, the other faces loss and this only creates mutual dislike between the two. Moreover, those who lose everything when gambling, sometimes find no way out apart from turning to crime, and in this way, hatred and enmity are wrought.
Interestingly the UK’s Gambling Commission also reports that “Research by the Howard League has found links between high risk gambling and crime, including financial crimes.” (“Evidence theme 6 – Illegal gambling and crime”, www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk)
The Quranic verse highlights how gambling also hinders the remembrance of Allah and prayer.
The main objective of a believer is to gain the nearness of Allah and so anything that may harm the relationship of the servant to his Lord must be discarded.
Those who are addicted to gambling seldom find time and the mental space to focus on other matters of importance. Their living and breathing are always related to money. What then should we expect from them with regard to religion?
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh states that no gambler can claim that gambling does not cause him to forget the remembrance of Allah. In reality, the two cannot coexist at all. (Urdu Tarjamatul Quran, class number 72)
The above Quranic verse ends with a striking question:
فَہَلۡ اَنۡتُمۡ مُّنۡتَہُوۡنَ
“But will you keep back?”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh explains this means that if you persist in gambling, you will not only earn more of Allah’s displeasure but will also be putting yourself in greater danger of facing punishment from Allah. (Ibid.)
Those who gamble live a completely hellish life. They find no rest and no comfort and are always eager for more and more. They spend their nights gambling with no knowledge of how much time or money has been wasted, and their days are spent thinking about and participating in gambling.
Isn’t their day-to-day life a punishment in itself?
In an age where Satan is luring our children into the trap of gambling through mediums like video games and other entertainment, parents should be more vigilant and lean on Islamic principles to stop their children from falling into such detrimental addictions.