Youth & Gambling

Studies conducted in Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Europe and Australia all have noted rising prevalence rates of youth involvement in both legal and illegal forms of gambling. While approximately 80% of High School students report having gambled for money over the past year, 4-8% of adolescents presently have a serious gambling problem with another 10-14% of adolescents at risk for developing a serious gambling problem. Research suggests that as gambling venues become more and more accessible, the amount of involvement in gambling activities will increase. Within our community, people have the opportunity to participate in lotteries, bingo, casino gambling, sports betting, raffles, internet gambling sites, card games, games of skill, etc, etc, etc…

Research shows that the earlier people start gambling, the more likely they are to develop a gambling problem. Gambling is currently a "normalized" occurrence in today's society. Today's youth are amongst the first to be exposed to ready access to gambling opportunities.

A casino visit has been described as the new rite of passage into adulthood, similar to getting a driver's license or becoming a legal drinking age.

We are aware that just because someone gambles does not mean they are a problem gambler; however, teens experience problems 2-4x more than adults. They may not have a lot of valuables but are impacted in other ways as well, which include emotional and cognitive impacts.

Be aware and understand the signs that may indicate a problem. Youth that develop problem gambling issues frequently:

■Have poor general coping skills ■Are at increased risk for suicide ideation and suicide attempts ■Have lower self-esteem ■Report beginning gambling at earlier ages (approximately 10 years of age) ■Replace old friends with gambling associates ■Move rapidly from social gambler to problem gambler ■Are at increased risk for the development of other problematic behaviours such as substance use.

All they have to do is walk into a corner store that sells lottery tickets, turn on the television to see a poker tournament, or surf the internet and find millions of gambling/gaming websites. For many, gambling will remain a harmless activity, but for others, it will have a significant life impact. Possible signs that your child/teen is gambling:

■Pre-occupation with gambling to the exclusion of other interests ■Calling 900 numbers for sports scores ■Missing money or possessions in the house ■Using lunch or bus money to gamble ■Coming to parents for money to pay a gambling debt ■Displays unexplained wealth ■Unusual interest in sports scores and point spreads ■An unexplained need for money ■Tickets purchasing (lottery, scratch, break open, etc.) ■Gambling paraphernalia ■Increased irritability or hostility ■Missing school or work to gamble