Americans thrive on taking chances, turning risks into rewards. So it’s no wonder that gambling has become a popular pastime, whether it’s playing the numbers in a state-sponsored lottery, entering an office Superbowl pool, or simply dropping $20 over a friendly game of poker. And it’s a form of entertainment that many parents share with their kids. “The vast majority of kids get their start gambling within their families, whether it’s gin rummy with Grandma, going to the track with Uncle Bob, or a lottery ticket stuck in their stocking,” says Keith Whyte, director of the National Council on Problem Gambling.
In fact, nearly 80% of teens report gambling within the past year. For most of these kids, gambling will just be a fun way to pass some time with friends. Jon P., a 15-year-old from Nahant, MA, looks forward to his weekend poker games with his pals. “What I enjoy most is just being able to hang out with my friends and relax. I only bring a certain amount of money with me, so I stay within my spending limit. And I don't do any gambling outside of that.”
From Bingo to an Addiction
But for up to 15% of these children, gambling becomes a more serious issue. A Yale University School of Medicine study, conducted by lead researcher Wendy J. Lynch, determined that “adolescent-onset gambling is associated with more severe psychiatric problems, particularly substance-use disorders, in adolescents and young adults.”
That’s because gambling can work on a child’s brain in similar ways to narcotics. “The rush you get from gambling chemically parallels that rush you get from drugs,” says Whyte. “Even though there’s no substance ingested, it acts on the brain in the same way.” Just like with drugs, your child’s body can develop a tolerance to the rush, and kids may need to bet more and more to attain that winning high. And because your body places no limits on the amount of gambling you can do, the addiction can spiral out of control quickly. “If a kid drinks too much, he throws up or passes out,” Whyte says. “You don’t have that with gambling—you can use credit cards, gamble over the phone or the Internet. There are no physical limits to gambling.”
For many teens, even a lack of money won’t stop them from placing a bet. “Kids get money to gamble the same ways they get money for drugs—allowance, jobs, theft, ‘borrowing’ parents’ credit cards, selling their personal possessions,” Whyte says.