Tory leader David Cameron will call on the government to raise the age limit for all forms of gambling to 18, after a new Conservative report said that it was the „single most important“ measure for combating problem gambling.

A Tory report says that tens of thousands of children are addicts. An analysis by a leading gambling expert for David Cameron’s policy commission on social justice has found that 3.5 per cent of all youngsters aged 11 to 15 – around 100,000 children – are considered problem gamblers, the British Daily Mail has learned.

Britain is the only country in the world that allows children of any age to play slot machines with jackpots of up to us$ 10, while 16-year-olds may buy lottery tickets and scratchcards and play the football pools.

According to newspaper, the report from the Tory policy commission on social justice will also push for a cap on the number, and size, of casinos in the UK. It also wants attention given to gambling in the new media, such as the internet, interactive television and mobile phone gambling.

Cameron is expected to endorse the findings of the commission, headed by former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, due to be published next week.