Talking to Your Kids About Gambling

When you think about it, kids are exposed to gambling almost every day.  All they have to do is walk into a corner store to see people buy lottery tickets, or turn on the TV to see poker tournaments and ads for casinos. 

There are three key points that are important for us to understand about teen gambling:

1. Teens are only a few years away from being adults who can gamble legally.
2. Many teens are already gambling.  It may only be a harmless bet of a dollar or two, but it can become a lot more serious.
3. Several studies have shown that somewhere between four and eight percent of teenagers develop a gambling problem.

So what can you do?  For starters, follow these tips:

1.  Don't tell them, show them.

If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Money isn't everything.  It isn't the answer to all our problems.  And people who have a lot of it aren't always happy. Tell your kids that by the way you live.  Instead of...

going on and on about your budget,

wishing out loud for some new clothes, a bigger house, or a better car...

...try a better way.  Have fun with your kids. Do things together. It doesn't have to cost a lot. But it's the kind of thing they'll remember.

2.  Be alert to what can happen.

With most children there's nothing to worry about.  Kids like to experiment. They can make a bet, buy a lottery ticket, or play cards for money. And go on to other, more productive, things if they lose.

With some kids, though, it's not that easy. For them, gambling is more than a game.

They start by gambling more than they meant to. And wind up losing more than they can afford.

And once they get started, they just can't quit. It seems that the more they gamble, the more they want to.  As time goes by, their gambling will involve higher stakes and bigger risks.  When they win, they feel like a big shot.  When they lose, they lose all caution.  They'll go after that loss and do whatever they need to do, to get one more win.

Click here for additional information in a printable brochure.

Thanks to the Saskatchewan Health Department for sharing these tips.