Kid With Online Gambling Addiction Spends $140k Using Dad's Credit Card
He's only 13
A 13-year-old boy has spent more than $140000 on his father's credit card to fuel an online gambling habit.
The boy from Lancashire in England stole his father's card after seeing an ad for a betting site during a broadcast of a soccer game.
The is then understood to have created an online gambling profile using his father's identity.
According to News Corp, he then placed hundreds of bets on horse races and soccer each week.
Some stakes were reportedly more than $5,000.
His parents reportedly received a phone call from the bank some six months later, with the boy admitting that $30,000 was lost during this time.
He then received psychotherapy treatment, but went on to spend more than $106,000 in a single week.
“I had no idea that gambling could be an addiction like smoking, drinking or drugs. It seemed like fun and I thought I would make money too,” he told The Mirror.
"It was just far too easy. I just had to put in dad’s name, address, date of birth and card details and checked a box saying I was 18 — it took literally seconds to register and start gambling.”
It has been reported that his parents are still paying off his debts and are warning others of the dangers of online gambling.