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Youth and Parents
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Gambling is usually thought of as an adult activity, but teenagers and even children can be problem gamblers. While youths can't participate in the legal gambling that is available to adults, they have many other opportunities for gambling: bingo games, card games with friends, betting on sporting teams, playing dice, making bets on everyday occurrences. Adults can condone and even encourage gambling habits by giving lottery tickets or scratch-off cards as gifts. How do you know if you or your child has a gambling problem? Have you or has your son or daughter ever:
The percentage of problem gamblers is actually higher in the 10 to 19-year-old age bracket than in the adult population. Kids who are problem gamblers tend to have low self-esteem and poor coping skills. They may gamble for the thrill of the win, for acceptance from their peers, to escape stress or anxiety, or out of boredom. They are more likely to be involved in delinquent and even criminal activities to get money for gambling. Their gambling habits can very quickly escalate from "just a few games with friends" to a serious problem that can affect physical and mental health. Some common misconceptions about youth and gambling: "It's not really gambling if there's no money involved," or "It's just penny-ante." It's not the amount of money that's the problem - it's the behavior. Problem gamblers get hooked on the thrill of winning. Adults who are problem gamblers often recall the thrill of an early win that started them on the road to excessive gambling. "It's okay to play poker or blackjack at home under adult supervision." Allowing kids to play poker or other games of chance at home with friends may seem harmless, but it condones gambling as an acceptable activity for young people. It also forms an association between socializing with friends and gambling. That association can make the cycle of problem gambling behavior even harder to break, as the gambler seeks not just the next win but social acceptance through gambling. "It's just a kid's game. They'll grow out of it." Kids who gamble are more likely to have gambling problems as adults. Gambling behavior learned as a child can often become intensified when a young person starts college or enters the job market. At that stage of life, young people suddenly have access to more money, including credit cards, and have more freedom from adult supervision. Instead of growing out of the gambling habit, they are more likely to grow into it. "What can I do to get help?" If you think that you or a young person you know might have a problem with gambling, help is just a phone call away. Call the 2-1-1 HELP-LINE. We're here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Don't let problem gambling control your life. Call now to get the help you need to take control of your life and your future. These web sites also have information about how problem gambling affects young people and what can be done to help them: Youth Gambling International Teenagers Today Wanna Bet |