Children who have grown up with the internet are smart – a lot smarter than we give them credit for. They sometimes know how to do things we have no clue about, especially when it comes to mobile phones. While it isn’t uncommon for children to play mobile games, often downloaded via app stores and the like, the one thing they shouldn’t be going is gambling at mobile casinos.
There are other forms of gambling that are controversial, including loot boxes and buy-to-win mechanics found in some games. While there is an inherent danger in these, they aren’t as perilous for children as genuine online gambling at mobile casinos. While these mobile casinos can (and do) take steps to limit children’s exposure to their services, there are also a few things you can do to ensure that they don’t end up betting online. We’re going to cover some of those topics today.
Utilize Mobile Apps and Software
Firstly, as a parent, you must make sure that you utilize mobile apps and software to limit what they can install on their phones. This may also mean putting search engine blocks in place, to hinder what they can find via search engines. A clever child might know that if a mobile casino app is blocked that they can access the site via the instant play platform. There are all sorts of blocking tools in place to protect against this.
It isn’t just access to mobile casinos that you’ll want to block. You’ll also want to limit their ability to purchase goods. By limiting their mobile transactions (or having control over their finances for those with bank cards), you can effectively stop them downloading apps, depositing into casinos and using pay-to-win options.
Monitor Their Activity
It may seem like spying, and not every parent is comfortable with it, preferring to give children their privacy, but monitoring their activity is a must. Remember that at the end of the day, they are a child, a minor, and you are their guardian. You are, therefore, legally responsible for their activities to quite a large degree. Monitoring what they do can be beneficial to help you keep them on the straight and narrow and educate them on topics when they stray.
One of the best ways to do this is to set them up with a “child account” on their phone, with yourself as the overseer or administrator. There are various apps to help you do this, while phone operating systems also have tools that facilitate this. By keeping tabs on what they do, and checking up on them, you can stop children from ever visiting mobile casinos and betting online.
Be An Administrator
There is another perk to becoming an admin on their phone. By doing so, you can effectively control all their activities outright. This goes far beyond spying, but it may be the more preferential option for parents who want to maintain a degree of privacy for their children. By having administrator access to their phone, you can allow them their privacy, knowing full well that they can’t do anything illegal.
This is typically done by setting an admin password or passcode on their phone that only you know. Therefore, when it comes to downloading apps, unblocking sensitive content, or purchasing things, they will need you to come along and enter a code to unblock the device. Just be sure to keep your phone out of their grasp because they could “unlock” your admin privileges for themselves if they have your phone. Remember, today’s tech-savvy kids are often smarter than we give them credit for.
Keep Your Gambling Activity Private
Even if you’ve set up admin privileges and blocking software on their phone, your work isn’t done. As mentioned above, you desperately need to keep your phone out of their reach. You don’t want them to get access to it. If you have mobile casino apps and login details on your phone, they can simply pick up your phone and play via your account. Most parents keep their login details private from their children, but you can never be sure.
This step is even more important if your child doesn’t have a phone and regularly uses yours to browse the web, watch YouTube and so on. If you have mobile casino software on your phone, they may believe that they are just accessing “another game” and start playing. This could end up costing you a lot of money, especially if you have some kind of auto-reload function for deposits in your mobile casino app. It is best to keep your mobile casino details, possibly even your phone, well away from children.
Rely on the Casino
Finally, you can rely on the mobile casino in question for some help here. They have robust sign-up processes, verification steps, and KYC processes that prevent underage gambling. Most of these mobile casinos will demand National ID, social security numbers, proof of payment, residential and contact information and more. These are documents that your child most likely won’t have. Again, this won’t do you much good if they are playing via your account on your phone. However, if they attempt to sign up for a mobile casino account on their own, they most likely won’t be successful.
The Final Word
If you suspect that your child is gambling or has found a way around your safety measures, don’t hesitate to check your gambling history at your mobile casino. You can also check their phone activity to see what they’ve been up to and take additional measures if required. Being vigilant doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being invasive. You are the parent – they are the child. 
The best way to keep your child from gambling at mobile casinos is to use a combination of good practice, blocking/admin software and underage gambling protection measures at mobile casinos. Don’t be afraid to use as many of these as you see fit.