Why did the NCRG decide to publish “Talking with Children about Gambling”?
Adolescents are at a higher risk for developing a gambling disorder than adults. About 1 percent of adults have the most severe form of gambling addiction. Anywhere from 2 percent to 7 percent of young people become addicted to gambling, and most adults with a gambling problem started at an early age. Studies have shown links between adolescent problem gambling and other problems, such as substance abuse, juvenile delinquency and problems at school. The guide serves to educate parents about youth gambling and provide them with practical, research-based information to help address this important topic with their children.
How was the information in the guide developed?
The Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders developed the brochure after a study of the empirical research that has been published about young people and risky behaviors. The guidelines in the brochure are grounded in research findings that help us understand why young people engage in risky behaviors despite negative consequences, and what can be done to help them make better choices. Fortunately, the research on youth gambling is growing, and NCRG funding has contributed to an increasing knowledge base on youth and gambling. The NCRG’s Web site, www.ncrg.org, has a complete list of the research studies that were used to help develop the guidelines in the brochure.
What types of gambling do kids engage in and how often do they gamble?
The minimum age for a person to place a bet at a commercial casino in the United States is 21. Young people tend to gamble in more informal situations than adults. You don’t see kids playing slot machines or making bets at the racetrack. They tend to play cards for money, make friendly bets on sporting events and play the lottery, in spite of age restrictions. A recent national study estimated that nearly 70 percent of Americans aged 14-19 years gambled in the past year and approximately 11 percent gambled twice a week or more on average.
What do you hope to accomplish with the brochure?
Because youth gambling is not always visible, we wanted to alert parents to the potential risks of such activities and offer helpful guidelines for those who may suspect their children have a problem with gambling or any other risky behavior. We hope to distribute the brochure as widely as possible so that the maximum number of people may benefit from the resource.
What are the most important things a parent can do to help their child avoid risky behaviors such as gambling?
Parents can steer their children away from risky behaviors by monitoring their activities without being controlling; creating an open environment for communication; spending time together, including having regular family dinners; setting clear rules; and helping them develop healthy coping strategies for the stresses of adolescence.
But parents should understand that normal adolescents are more impulsive, aggressive and emotionally volatile than the average adult. They also must keep in mind that the brain of an adolescent is still under construction. One psychologist likened it to a car with an accelerator and no brakes. This is why young people sometimes use unhealthy coping strategies and why they want immediate gratification.
Finally, parents should think about how their own attitudes toward gambling and gambling behavior might influence their children. For example, be careful not to send mixed messages by sending your teenager on an errand to buy a lottery ticket.
What should parents do if their child has a gambling problem?
Research indicates that gambling problems are usually preceded by other psychiatric problems and, therefore, the child should be assessed for a range of disorders. For example, a child with depression might be using gambling to escape from the low mood or anxious feelings caused by depression. It will be difficult to solve the gambling behavior if the depression is not treated.
Parents should seek help from licensed or certified health care providers who specialize in children and adolescents. These providers include psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors and social workers. Good sources of referrals include health insurance providers, pediatricians, state departments of health and professional societies, such as the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Another source of referrals is the network of state gambling helplines. The national helpline number is 800-522-4700. Parents dealing with a child who has a gambling problem can find support at meetings of Gam-Anon, a self-help fellowship for friends and families who have a loved one struggling with gambling addiction. Visit www.gam-anon.org for information about these meetings.