youth gambling: risk factors

• History of gambling in the family; in Oregon, children of parents who gamble are nearly twice as likely to be weekly or daily gamblers than children whose parents don't gamble (Carlson & Moore, 1998)
• Problems at home 
• Low self-esteem 
• Peer pressure
• Loneliness/depression/boredom 
• Competition/risk 
• Escape from reality 
• Coping mechanism from life's problems
• To gain attention from peers
• To win money (however, for adolescents with gambling problems, money is the vehicle, not the reason, for gambling)

Sources: Gupta & Derevensky, 1998a; Gupta & Derevensky, 1998b; Gupta & Derevensky, 1997; Saunders, 1999.

Risk factors--a fast track to problem gambling.

Here are some factors that are thought to increase the risk of a youth becoming a problem gambler: 

• Family history of alcoholism or problem gambling
• Exposure to gambling at young age
• Family that overemphasizes money, competition
• Early "big win"
• Depression, lower self-esteem
• ADHD/hyperactivity 
• Other addiction/behavioral issues

Sources: Carlton, Manowitz, McBride, Nora, Swartzburg, & Goldstein, 1987; Derevensky & Gupta, 2000; Rugle & Melamed, 1993; Specker, Carlson, Christenson, & Marcotte, 1995.

What kids are gambling on  |  Lowering the risk