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A new report on gambling in B.C. shows an increase in teens making wagers, and it finds many young people are learning to gamble through online in-app purchases in video games.

"What's concerning is that move towards online (betting), which has more than doubled," said Annie Smith, executive director of the McCreary Centre Society, which prepares a report every five years based on the adolescent health survey — an anonymous questionnaire where nurses ask teens health-related questions.

In 2023, 38,277 youth completed the survey, with 59 out of 60 B.C. school districts participating. Researchers found that overall, youth admitting to having gambled within the past year increased from 18 to 20 per cent compared to 2018. While some types of in-person gam

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