Gambling and Problem Gambling among Youths

With the rapid expansion of gambling have also come concerns about underage gambling and youth problem gambling. Most studies of youth gambling have found that the majority of youths have gambled but do so infrequently and do not suffer any adverse consequences. A minority of youths, however, appear to be over-involved in gambling and are experiencing problems associated with their gambling. This is the first generation of youths to be exposed to such widespread access to gambling venues, ubiquitous gambling advertising, and general social approval of gambling. Gambling is the only so-called vice endorsed and promoted in many locales by both the church and state. On the one hand, youths are instructed by their teachers (and ostensibly their state department of education) that the way to get ahead in life is to study and work hard; on the other hand, their state lottery tells them that they need only to be lucky. Youths are adept at recognizing these apparent discrepancies and may be confused by this mixed message. Future research will need to address a number of gaps in our knowledge about youth gambling.