Why Teens Gamble
WHY DO ADOLESCENT/TEENS GAMBLE?
✓ Excitement
✓ Relaxation
✓ Peer Pressure
✓ Escape Reality
✓ A Family Member Gambles
MOST COMMON TYPES OF GAMBLING
✓ Sports Gambling
✓ Internet Gambling
✓ Poker
✓ Lottery/Scratch Offs
✓ Dice
WARNING SIGNS
✓ Borrowing Money/Selling Items
✓ Preoccupation
✓ Unexplained Absences/Declining Grades
✓ Strained relationships With Family and Friends
✓ Bragging About Winnings
✓ Large Amounts of Money
✓ Suspected Alcohol/Drug Use
✓ Suicidal Thoughts
QUICK FACTS
✓ Gambling disorders can begin in children as young as 10 years old
✓ Problem gambling impacts about 4-8% of youths, compared to just 1% of adults
✓ By the time they get to high school, 60-80% of students reported that they gambled at least once in the past 12 months
✓ Teens who gamble are more likely to use illegal drugs
✓ Among all addictions, gambling is linked to the highest suicide rate
PRACTICE PREVENTION
✓ Prevention starts by modeling healthy gambling behavior at home:
✓ Consider your own participation in lotteries or in-person gambling such as poker games
✓ Establish clear rules concerning your child’s screen time and exposure to games involving betting
✓ Ask your child for more information the next time they want to use your credit to make a purchase
Additional information for Parents or Caretakers.
Teens gambling. It’s a risk. What parents need to know about youth problem gambling