OTTAWA -- The National Capital Region YMCA has launched a gambling education and awareness program targeted to children and youth aged eight to 24.

The Youth Gambling Project, funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, is expected to reach 60,000 participants across the province by the end of its four-year pilot.

Research shows that youth who gamble are more likely to engage in substance use, truancy, school problems, and other criminalized behaviour, according to the YMCA. The project is aimed at providing options to young people, their parents and caregivers to talk openly about the issue and seek treatment where necessary. It does not condemn or condone gambling.

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