Although those who are underage and not upto the age of gambling shouldn't be allowed to gamble and of course it would affect their mental thinking knowing too well that their age is certainly a limitations and can't handle things of gambling.
That is the problem because gambling is now very common and accessible to anyone at any time, including young children, so they will ultimately have free access to it.
They should not be allowed to do so, but with the ease of access available, it is very difficult to implement measures that explicitly prohibit children from gambling, even though there is KYC in place. However, this can be circumvented, and in practice, that is exactly what is happening now.
You are absolutely correct in saying that access is just ridiculously easy. Children are conditioned by loot-box systems and hammered by social marketing. Look at these
. KYC is not an impenetrable shield as age checks are clumsy and avoidable. A combination of bank or application level gambling blocks, tough parental controls and stricter ad/algorithm limits with actual enforcement on the platforms are some prominent solution that should be implemented rather than just vibing along.That reduces exposure and minimizes friction even when a child attempts to sneak in.