Teen Gambling On The Rise

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Teen Gambling On The Rise

Gambling online is increasing in popularity, especially among teenagers. According to a Canadian based study published in BMC Public Health, teen gambling is on the rise and many are at risk for a gambling problem in the future.

The study was conducted by the Center for Addiction and Mental Health and the University of Waterloo. They analyzed results from a study of 10,035 students in grades 9-12 who participated in youth gambling surveys in the years 2012 and 2013. The researchers found that 10 percent of the teens said they had gambled online within the last 3 months and 42 percent of teens said they gambled using money or other things of value. The games they played included black jack, poker, scratch off tickets and games of skills.

It was also found that 36 percent of the teen participants had a score that indicated a future gambling problem. Their scores were calculated based on the answers to the survey questions. It is important to note that most of these teens that were gambling were not of legal age.

Because teens are beginning to gamble before it is even legal and with money, steps should be taken by parents and other role models to ensure they know gambling, like any other addictive behavior, is dangerous.