Youth Gambling

Copy of Thinking.jpg (18543 bytes)

- Gambling Among Youth -
Recreation with risks?

"I've been gambling for less than a year and my parents don't know. I've maxed out a couple credit cards."
--An 18-year-old-female Helpline caller

Gambling in the United States has Changed significantly over the past several years. It is more accessible than ever before, extensively marketed and is creating problems for many youths.

Risks

Today's Youth Are first to grow up in a society where legalized gambling is an acceptable form of entertainment. They are also the first generation to grow up in a society where illegal gambling is most accessible through the Internet.

Gambling has become a new rite of passage for many youth. It is no longer limited to the Saturday night poker game or the annual Super Bowl pool. As young people reach the legal gambling age, they are suddenly able to buy lottery tickets and enter a casino.

Gambling problems effecting youth occur in a variety of environments: schools, home, or on the bus. Some are part of a compulsive gambling problem. Others are the result of foolish and risky adolescent behavior.

Gambling can be risky for those who spend a lot of time gambling and do not stay involved in other activities

Youth can also be effected by their parents or guardians gambling. Often neglect or abuse and loneliness result from this problem behavior.