Luke Mead was in year 11 when he was exposed to gambling, watching friends place horse racing and football bets on their phones during class.

“We’re supposed to be learning about mathematics, and your mates are gambling because that’s what they’re being conditioned to do,” he said.

Some were 18, but many logged in under siblings’ accounts or with fake identification. Having a punt on the pokies or placing a few harmless bets on an app is seen as a rite of passage as Australians get older, Luke said.

But when he watched someone he cared for lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, he realised the impact of pokies and online betting on young Australians.