Community Action: Teen-age gambling on the rise

MONTREAL -- Gambling among children and adolescents in the western world, including Canada, is on the rise with about 80 per cent of high school students saying their have gambled for money during the past year says a recent report on Youth Problem Gambling from the University of McGill's Youth Gambling Institute.

The Institute report notes that 4 to 8 per cent of adolescents currently have a serious gambling problem with another 10 to 14 per cent of adolescents who are at risk for developing a serious gambling problem.

Although the Institute's report cautions that there may be some conflicting findings about youth problem gambling, the report noted an overall consensus in a number of areas.

For instance, gambling is more popular among males than females and prevalence rates of problem gamblers among adolescents are two to four times greater than that of adults. As well, adolescents with problem gambling demonstrate a lower self esteem, higher rates of depression, and an increased risk for developing one or more addictions.

Problem adolescent gamblers also begin to gamble early in life with the average age identified as ten years, and money is not the main reason they continue to gamble. Rather youth gamblers appear to view money as a vehicle which enables them to continue playing with video poker machines, sports betting or cards.

Link to report visit communityaction.ca