A Problem of Teen Gambling

What is the background information on teen gambling? Gambling means taking part in any activity or game where you risk money, food & drinks or any valuable objects like an iPod or video game in order to win. Gambling is mostly about taking risks & having luck and knowledge or practice is not need in order to help a person win. Other games like pool or darts, for example requires knowledge on how to play the game, lots of practice and having the skills needed in order to influence the results.

Card games like poker, for example are mostly chance, but they do have some skill elements required. The skill in card games comes from knowing what to do with the hand you have been dealt. The more a person knows about playing, the more it can increase the chances of winning. But a win is never guaranteed, because part of the game involves chance which all players have no control over the cards that he or she is dealt with.

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Even the best player can carry a losing hand. It might seem like gambling is a harmless pastime when a lot of people including teens do gamble.

But gambling can easily become a problem that affects not just the person, but also the person’s family, friends & the life he or she will have. For some people, gambling can become as serious an addiction as drugs, tobacco, or alcohol. (Kids Health, 2012) Why is teen gambling a social issue? What is the importance of researching this? Teens develop the urge to keep on gambling despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop problem gambling.

Problem gambling occurs when a person’s gambling causes harm to themselves and to those around them such as a partner, family, friends, or others in the community.

When gambling begins to consume more money and time than a person can afford it can affect many parts of their lives, including physical and emotional health, finances, relationships, work and study (Neal, Delfabbro & O’Neil, 2005).

The important to research about teen gambling is to inform and educate people around about what teen gambling is and how it is dangerous to society. Gambling can be innocent at first. Like when you make a friendly bet with someone. But money can get involved, as well as personal belongings or favors. Sooner or later, they will continue doing this until their lives become affected. This is not illegal but now Internet gambling and casino gambling is increasing.

Ways that individuals, and/ or groups and/ or society are affected by teen gambling. Many teens that gamble either do it with their friends or do it online. Either way, though, teenagers can become addicted gambling. Gambling can turn from a social behavior to a compulsion and cause problems for teens. (Alissa Sklar) Gambling problems can hurt families in many ways like when family members learn that money savings, property or belongings have been lost, it can make them feel scared, angry and betrayed.

People that are addicted at gambling will get emotional problems and isolation where partners of those with gambling problems do not want to be emotionally or physically close with the person who has hurt them. (“Gambling 101," 2011) Rates of suicide are higher for people who gamble excessively, and for their family members. The people most likely to attempt suicide are those who also have mental health problems like depression or who heavily use alcohol or other drugs. People who have threatened suicide or hurt themselves in the past are also more at risk.

(Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2013) How common is the social issue? Is it worth continuing on with your research? Gambling is common everywhere around the world. Children young as 9-10 often start gambling with family members—betting on card collections, food & drinks, or anything valuable to them. When they become teens, their gambling habits will increase; they will start betting with money, playing card games like poker & blackjack online & in real life, dice gambling, buy lottery tickets and even sport gambling like in horse racing, etc.

It’s so common that is really convenient for everyone to gamble online. Every gambling you want to play is all on the internet and is free for everyone. (Kids Health, 2011) It’s definitely worth continuing the research on ten gambling. There’s a lot of interesting facts about the issue that I didn’t know till I started searching about the issue. Knowing that suicide is high for people that have gambling addictions and that gambling can affect your life as much as drugs and alcohol is really interesting to know. Interesting facts and data about teen gambling.

•The average age at which problem gamblers had their first contact with any sort of gambling was 10 years old. •Overall, 37. 4% of students don’t gamble, which means that about two-thirds do •84% of parents do not object to their children gambling. •61% of teens who gamble do it with their parent’s permission. •The top three types of gambling among students are playing cards for money (41. 3%), playing scratch tickets (35%), and betting on sporting events (28. 4%). •Males are more likely than females to be problem gamblers.

Males are also more likely to be at risk of developing gambling problems. •A recent nationwide study estimates 2. 9 million young people are gambling on cards on a weekly basis. •Less than 5% of students bet online. •A recent study found that more than 50 percent of kids who gamble reported problems like over-spending. Teens record that they can win/lose as much as $150 to $200 a night. •4-8% of adolescents presently have a serious gambling problem with another 10-14% of adolescents at risk for developing a serious gambling problem.

3 strategies that are presently being used to help deal or prevent teen gambling •If you think you have a problem, tell a family member, school counselor, or someone you trust about your gambling. If you believe a friend or family member is developing a gambling habit, talk to a school counselor, parent, or other trusted adult. (Alissa Sklar) •Recovery programs that include group therapy and counseling sessions have helped many gamblers overcome their addiction. Talking with people who have been through the experience can provide both support and ideas for overcoming the problem.

A specialist in gambling addiction will be your best bet. Your first session will be known as an intervention. (Gambling 101," 2011) •Distraction can work well in breaking a gambling habit, if the habit hasn't become too much of a problem. Try finding a new hobby or something better to do. Just having something to take your mind off gambling can go a long way toward helping you stop. Be realistic, though. If this approach doesn't work, the next step should be to talk to a counselor or call a hotline. (Carl Robertson, 2011).