Futures at Stake: Youth, Gambling, and Society

Youth attribute different meanings to the terms betting and gambling, with gambling viewed as more negative than betting. Furthermore, youth are likely to define the types of activities they engage in (e.g. betting on card/board games or physical activities they are involved with) as betting, rather than gambling. This has important implications for the development of targeted messages. Not only is it important to use the appropriate language, in this case “betting”, but also to reinforce that all activities where something of value is being risked have the potential to create problems.
Internet gambling is an area of increasing concern. While approximately 10% of 11-16 year olds report betting on the Internet, the large majority (95%) report that the site did not require a credit card. There are a number of Internet sites that offer individuals the opportunity to play various games, solo or against others, which include casino type games such as slot machines and blackjack. While a person does not actually have to risk any of their own money, these games display winnings and losses in terms of dollars. Essentially, youth are learning how to gamble on “adult” games. The impact of these sites on later gambling practices is certainly an area worthy of further investigation. A related area deserving attention is the potential use of pre-paid credit cards by youth for purposes of gambling on the Internet. While most youth do not have access to a traditional credit card, these pre-paid cards are readily accessible and could provide a means for gambling on the Internet.
Just over 4% of 11-16 year olds report problems related to their gambling, consisting of arguments, physical fights and loss of money. Interestingly, 16% indicated that their friends have experienced problems from gambling. These results speak to the need for targeted prevention strategies that reinforce the problems that can be created from gambling or betting, highlighting the very real consequences of arguments, fights and loss of money. As well, given that so many youth know friends who are experiencing these problems, it may be advantageous to target this group separately. The information may include ways to avoid peer pressure, as well as helpful advice that youth can provide their friends regarding gambling matters.
Just less than one-quarter of youth feel that betting is cool and approximately one-third feel that it is fun. These perceptions increase with age. In addition, youth who describe themselves as popular, leaders or risk-takers are more likely to gamble. While this is an area that warrants further investigation, it is possible that there is a place for messages that target the desirable attributes associated with betting.
In terms of understanding the chances of winning at gambling, perceptions vary depending on the type of gambling activity. That is, youth believe that they will win at least half the time betting on physical activities but will lose most times gambling on scratch or lottery tickets. There is, however, a general lack of knowledge of probability. For instance, the majority of respondents believe that a random series of numbers is more likely to win than a string of numbers in a sequence. Whether this erroneous belief is a risk factor for gambling problems has not been firmly established. However, it does make sense that the more individuals understand randomness and probability as they relate to gambling, the better able they are to make informed decisions.
Most youth understand that gambling can create problems, and recognize that spending more money and time gambling than intended, or borrowing or stealing from others can create problems. At the same time, about 25% of youth do not feel that these are potential warning signs. This signifies a need to reinforce the potential warning signs of a gambling problem. In doing so, however, it is critical that the language and examples are meaningful to the target audience.
Parents are important key influencers. The results show that youth learn about gambling from parents, gamble with parents and at home with friends, that parents purchase scratch and lottery tickets for their children, and that youth are aware of their parent’s gambling activities. At an early age, children develop concepts of gambling from observing their parents. It is important that parents realize the impact their own gambling behavior and attitudes have on their children, and the importance of transferring healthy and balanced attitudes about gambling.
The large majority of youth (78%) have received messages, from television or the Internet, that promote gambling. Only 12% of participants have seen any advertising for problem or responsible gambling. This imbalance in messaging sets the stage for a biased understanding of the impacts of gambling. While strides have been made in providing information to youth, efforts tend to rely on the school as the dissemination vehicle. There is a need to broaden the focus by utilizing an array of mediums to raise awareness of the potential risks associated with gambling.
The results from this study reinforce the findings from past research that many youth gamble and some experience negative consequences resulting from gambling. In terms of providing meaningful and targeted problem gambling awareness messages to youth, the results highlighted potential areas for consideration. These include understanding the language of the target group, developing messages that speak to the negative impacts (i.e. loss money, fights) and perceived positive impacts of gambling (i.e. status and bragging rights), drawing on parents as a key information source, increasing parent’s awareness of youth gambling and associated negative impacts, and disseminating messages outside the confines of the school.