| | |  | Last Updated: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 |  | | | Study: Teen Gambling Increasing
- Sunday, 14 May 2006
A study has shown that teenage gambling is on the rise. The question remains whether anything can really be done to stop this phenomenon. In a recent study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, it was shown that teenage gambling is on the rise. The study also showed that with the spread of teenage gambling also comes problems of drug and alcohol abuse. With the American population so into gambling in any form, it is no surprise that these actions have having an affect on the younger generation. The younger generation who is so in tune with the technological gadgets appearing on the market every day, will be the first to discover gambling on a cell phone, gambling on a hand-held unit, etc.
Utah and Hawaii are the only two states in America that do not have some form of legalized gambling. Most states have gambling in the form of lottery, horse track betting, video slot machines and scratch tickets. In the study it was shown more than 70% of the teenagers interviewed had already been involved in gambling activities in one way or another. The average age of the gambling teens was 12! Most had played poker, bingo or purchased lottery tickets.
The organizers of the study are trying to turn to state and government officials to begin educating children against the dangers of gambling while young. The officials also said that children need to understand that playing poker between friends is also a form of gambling if it involves money and that parents need to be involved in the education process from point 0.
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