AIBU to think a birthday scratch card win was harmless fun?

And she won. £100. That could be quite the incentive for a 13yr old to want to start buying scratch cards themselves.

Agree ! MN becomes more and more hysterical every day 🤦‍♀️How do posters cope if their child wins on tombola/ lucky dip at school fair??

Of course it is. Not suggesting it isn’t.

But we’re talking about one scratchcard once a year.

People are batshit, I can't believe people have an issue with this. Is it not on par with those claw machines where you put in your money & may or may not win a prize?????

Sanctimonious @StephQ1

People have been prosecuted for facilitating children to gamble

But that’s not what was asked. Can you cite any examples of parents buying scratch cards for their children being prosecuted? As you are such an expert?

It’s technically a criminal offence to be drunk in charge of cattle or while carrying a hay bale. Or handling a salmon in suspicious circumstances. Or sounded a car horn in the middle of the night without a present danger. Or paying for your Drive Thru Big Mac with your phone.

As with many Mumsnet threads the OPINIONS are divided on the basis of MORALITY - some see this as harmless fun and others an abhorrent act of underage gambling.

Suggesting that the LEGALITY is the primary concern here and those that haven’t cited it are comical makes you the joke as you’ve entirely missed the point.

I don't gamble so I don't buy things like that and I wouldn't want my children having scratch cards, but if you are ok with gambling then I guess it fits your ethics to let her have one.

My kids make home made Xmas crackers with their grandma and put scratch cards in and have been for a good few years. They are 12 and 14. I see it as a bit of harmless fun!

Must be illegal for a reason. Maybe tptb feel gambling at a young age, especially when there's a win involved is a risk.

I am at a loss to understand why betting e.g. on horses etc is considered gambling, but the lottery, scratch cards etc. are not. They are. The amount of online gambling is also horrifying and due, in part, to the increase in scratch cards and lottery. Anyone with a propensity for gambling will be hooked just as easily by any of these.

Don't get me wrong, I am happy to have the odd flutter. But I wouldn't encourage children or young people to see it as harmless. They often don't have the same firmness of mind or experience to control their impulses. There is quite enough temptation out there without parents encouraging them.

I remember scratching scratch cards off when j was far younger than 13! It’s fun! I haven’t even bought a lottery ticket in my adult life it didn’t scar me 😂

We put them in homemade Christmas crackers each year. I think our kids think they are a Christmas cracker treat that is the 'norm'...no fortune telling fish or plastic golf tees.😆

I think one offs for birthdays/Christmas is fine.

A one off for a 13 year old I cant really get wound up about but scratch cards In a pass the parcel at a kids party is wild 😂😱

Op it can be fun but there is a reason it has an age limit. The gamblers who have lost everything thought it was fun I’m sure until it took over their lives. I just hope your son isn’t disappointed if he doesn’t win money. It’s not exactly like a tombola is it.

It’s just a bit of fun! I let DC1 pick my lottery numbers 🤭

Well OP, if not going to save the money, at least now she will learn a little about budgeting and spending!

If she wants to go out and buy more scratch cards you may have an issue :-) but I doubt you will start a lifetime habit of gambling on this one win. To me at that age, it's no worse than buying a raffle ticket at the school fare..

Not a big deal at all. Some people on here are ridiculous. I’m looking for the person who suggests informing the police for under age gambling. There will be one somewhere!

People have been prosecuted for facilitating children to gamble although not often.

My personal view on gambling is that much like alcohol, the best way is for parents to introduce it to children in a responsible manner.

In my experience the best way is to focus on maths rather than the gambling per se.

If children understand maths and probability then their assessment of gambling is likely to be more advanced than those who don’t possess such mathematical competency.

Bloody hell, there are some kill joys in here tonight!

Do these guys also think we should ban raffles then!?

I’ve been picking horses out for my parents since I was about 3. I’m now nearly 40 and strangely enough, not a gambling addict. And neither are my parents.

I hope your daughter enjoys her winnings!

You are not the only one with Knowledge here. But you aren't wrong that this is illegal.

Has anyone ever been prosecuted for buying a scratch card for a child?

Do you think that generally it leads to problems later in life?

I’d not allow that either.

There is a big difference. One is a criminal offence, the other isn’t.

Does she play the raffle or tombola etc at the school Fayres for example? No different in my opinion

hope she enjoys her win and had a lovely birthday

Simply pointing out that nobody cares

What ‘comically inaccurate’ posts are you referring to?

Majority of posters have just given an opinion.