Youth Gambling - Problem Gambling and Youth

What's up in Ontario? .. Did you know a person has a better chance of being struck by lightning twice than winning one of Ontario's most popular lotteries.

-	85% of youth in Ontario have gambled in the past year.
-	25,000-30,000 Ontario young people have a gambling problem.
-	4-6% of youth/young adults are problem gamblers and 8-12% are at risk.
-	8.3% of young people in Ontario age 14-18 self identify with gambling problems.
-	7% of young adults age 18-24 self identify as problem gamblers.
-	2.7% are pathological gamblers meaning that they have a very serious problem.
-	Youth age 14-17 and young adults 18-24 are twice as likely to have gambling problems as adults and seniors.
-	Kids 12-16 participate more in gambling than in smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol or using drugs.

Surveys and Studies

»	In a 1999 Ontario survey 1.8% of 13th graders were classified as pathological gamblers.
»	In a similar Ontario survey in 2001 5.7% were classified as pathological gamblers.
»	A study done in the Niagara Peninsula indicated 74% of students age 16-18 had gambled within a six-month period.

The above information was resourced from the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse, the Responsible Gambling Council and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

** 2006 Ontario Survey of 2,140 Youth Ages 15-17

Where do 15-17 year olds get the money to gamble?
60% reported getting the money from their parents. However 60% also said
they get money to gamble from a job.

Is Poker a Problem?

Of youth who played poker:

13% reported they sometimes spent more money than they could afford.
6% reported they could see themselves making a living from poker.
Almost 1 in 5 (18%) reported being concerned about how much a friend played poker.

What were they gambling on?

Betting on a dare or challenge that they could do something ..	54.8%
Played poker for money ..	45.3%
Bet on a dare that someone else could do something ..	45%
Bet on sporting events, games pools ..	25.5%
Played arcade, video games for money ..	19.6%
Played dice for money ..	16.2%
Bet/gambled on the internet ..	11.3%

These percentages do not add up to 100 because 15-17 year olds are participating in more than one gambling activity.

Why Did They Gamble?

Reasons:

Wanted to have fun ..	89.2%
* Hoped to win money ..	70.3%
* Wanted to take risks ..	28.4%
* Wanted to get a rush or feel excited ..	24.1%
* Needed money ..	20.7%
* Wanted to win back lost money ..	15.3%
* Saw gambling on TV and thought it looked fun ..	8.6%

* Under certain circumstances these reasons can possibly factor into the development of a gambling problem. They involve the cognitive distortions of believing you can make money gambling, of thinking the money you have lost is still yours, and the appeal of getting a high from gambling which can be mood relief.

** These stats are from a 2006 survey by the Responsible Gambling Council.

* This comment is from ADSTV and not the RGC.

For more information about Youth and Gambling, contact ADSTV at (519) 673-3242 ext *236 or click here to e-mail our gambling intake worker.