Problem Gambling and Oregon Youth: A Growing Concern…and What Parents

Can Do

Oregon Health AuthorityAddictions and Mental Health Division

Problem Gambling Services

Which of these is gambling?Poker games with friends

Playing poker online for no money

Going to the casinoChurch bingo

Fundraiser raffleDay trading in the stock market

Betting money or something of value on an event where the outcome is determined

by chance is gambling.

Plays with $ that is needed or borrowed.

Expects to win; keeps playing to win back losses.

Is revolved around

gambling.

Frequent, or spends more time gambling.

Sticks to limits of money to play with.

Hopes to win butexpects to lose.

Can take it or leave it.

Occasional gambler.

PROBLEM GAMBLINGSOCIAL GAMBLING

Problem or Not? Telling the Difference

Gambling in Oregon is growing

Americans gamble more each year than they spend on groceries ($900B+ annually)

A casino in every home? In every pocket?

Oregon Gambling: Summarized

Oregon has more forms of legalized gambling and offers easier access to gambling than almost any other state

Source: National Ctr for the Study of Gambling, 2006

Indicators of problem gambling

1. Too much time spent gambling2. Betting more and more money3. Creating special occasions for gambling 4. Increasing intensity of interest in

gambling 5. Boasting about winning; evasive about

losing6. Exaggerated displays of money and

other possessionsNote: Click to see the rest of the list.

More indicators

8. Gambling when there is a crisis9. Stopping non-gambling activities and interests10. Frequently absent from work/home/school11. Excessive phone use12. Withdrawing from family13. Personality changes 14. Spending money on gambling that was

earmarked for other purposes

Note: No audio for this slide. Click to move to the next slide.

HOOKEDHOOKED

Brain is affected

Tolerance develops

Loss of control

like other “addictions”

…but harder to detect

Gambling is everywhere This is the first generation to grow up with gambling as the norm and seen as harmless fun

Youth Gambling Is Risky Business!

….where’s the balance?

• Prefer new, exciting, low effort activities

• Don’t consider

negative consequences

• More risky, impulsive

Adolescent Brains Are A Work In Progress

…that’s 1 per classroom, yet it’s not addressed in schools

Ever gambled: 63%At risk: 4.6%Problem: 1.3%

Oregon youth gambling prevalence

2012 Gambling, Substance Use and Mental Health among Oregon Youth

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Gambling Alcohol BingeAlcohol

Marijuana Cigarettes Depression Psychdistress

Perc

enta

ge

6th 8th

11th

2012 Binge Drank in the Past 30 Days

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

6th 8th 11th

Grade

Perc

enta

ge

Gambled

Did not Gamble

2012 Smoked Cigarettes in the Past 30 Days

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

6th 8th 11th

Grade

Perc

enta

ge

Gambled

Did not Gamble

2012 Used Marijuana in the Past 30 Days

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

6th 8th 11th

Grade

Perc

enta

ge

Gambled

Did not Gamble

2012 Skipped School 1 or More Days in the Past 30 Days

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

6th 8th 11th

Grade

Perc

enta

ge

Gambled

Did not Gamble

Gambling activities among Oregon youth (2012 SWS)

1. Betting on games of personal skill2. Sports betting3. Other (betting on fantasy

football/basketball/baseball teams?)4. Poker5. Dice/coin flips6. Lottery tickets7. Internet8. Bingo

Risk & Protective Factors

RISK FACTORSpoor parentingschool failurepro-use

community normsaffiliation with

peers exhibiting behavior

availability/access

PROTECTIVE FACTORS

strong family bondsclear rules of conductparental involvement

and monitoringstrong bonds with

school, communitymoderation norms

Family income below medianSingle parent householdMaleStarted gambling before 8th gradeCards and sports bettorsPlay sports for their schoolsFamily members gambleGamble with friends/acquaintances

Alternative high schoolsSchool counselorsAt risk youth programsYouth detention facilitiesAdolescent addiction treatmentSchool sports

• Illegal• Available 24/7• Accelerated rate of play distorts perceptions of real

money• “Practice” sites lure players via higher payoffs

Internet gambling is a growing concern

twice as likely to have a child who is an at risk gambler

four times as likely to have a child who is a problem gambler

Parental attitudes

All parents in the groups said their kids didn’t gamble

All kids in the groups said they did gamble

Neither sees gambling as risky

Most parents believe:

Youth gambling is harmless Youth who gamble are unlikely to have

problems in schoolYouth gambling is not associated with

alcohol or drug use

…and those beliefs are part of the problem

drinking

sexualbehavior

smoking

druguse

gambling

ProblemBehaviors

What Parents Can Do

(Handout)

Talk to your kids about the risks of gambling just like you would any other risk behavior…go beyond the risk of losing money and talk about the risk of addiction

Model appropriate behavior (if you gamble, stick to limits of time and money)

Watch for warning signs of a problem and intervene

Resources

www.problemgamblingprevention.org

Quick “consumer education” activity:What Are the Odds??

Odds of winning $100 in Powerball

… are about 11 thousand to 1…but what does that mean??

Let’s say there is 1 piece of red popcorn in this bag of 10,000 pieces of white popcorn

….you would have a better chance of finding the one red kernel of popcorn in this bag than you would of winning $100 on a powerball ticket

Chances of winning the big prize?

146 million to 1…what does that mean??

would be like finding the one piece of red popcorn in 14,600 bags like this