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The death of a 13-year-old Victorian boy has raised alarm about the dangerous effects gambling can have on young people.
Oliver, from Loch, southeast Victoria, his Cronin took his own life on October 25, 2019 after being addicted to his games online, including Fortnite and Minecraft, for a year.
The 13-year-old boy, who grew up in a loving home and was popular at school, developed temper and behavior problems in the months leading up to his death.
He began beating his family and was suspended for a physical altercation with another student.
According to the World Health Organization, gaming disorder is characterized by recurrent distress or significant disruption in an individual’s family, personal, and social life.
Paretha Spanos, a Victorian coroner, found that Oliver’s behavioral changes were related to his increased use of online video games. “Oliver has not been diagnosed with gaming disorder, but his behavior suggests that he fits the WHO description of gaming disorder,” Spanos said in the report.
Australia’s understanding of gambling disorder prevention and diagnosis is neither comprehensive nor rigorous, coroners said.
There were also no publicly funded gambling disorder treatment or prevention services in Australia.
The 2020 Digital Australia Report found that 67% of Australians play video games and about 22% of gamers are under the age of 18. Men aged 15 to 24 play an average of 130 minutes per day, while women in this age group play about 81 minutes per day. 3.5% of boys aged 11 to 15 engaged in “problematic” games, while in boys aged 16 and 17, he rose to 4.4%.
The coroner’s report said Australia needs to step up its efforts to research gambling disorders. Spanos recommended that the eSafety Commissioner’s Office raise awareness of the psychological risks of gaming in school-based digital health programs.
eSafety officers should also encourage research to determine the incidence and prevalence of harm from young people’s online gambling.