Gambling is on the rise among youth. The FCCG offers free services, an online forum, a 24-hour HelpLine, and special programs for adolescents and professionals servicing this population.
Many young people don't know it, but betting or gambling can become addictive. In the same way that people become addicted to drugs and alcohol, some individuals can experience difficulty trying to stop gambling. Teens and young adults with gambling problems often have much higher rates of alcohol, drug, and tobacco use, struggle with depression, are more likely to commit crimes and to participate in other illegal and at-risk activities.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- To see if you or a friend may have a gambling problem, Take the Test.
- To communicate with peers about your own or someone else’s gambling problem, visit our Online Forum to post a message and to learn how others are addressing these issues.
- For information on how to approach a friend or someone you care about regarding their gambling behavior, the following tips can help guide your conversation. Remember that friends depend on friends to tell the truth, so be sure to do your part.
- Become educated about the subject
- Make a plan to talk to your friend when you have time and are feeling calm
- Be sure you have identified a safe place to have a serious and private talk
- Don’t avoid the topic – be direct
- Express concerns honestly by providing observations
- Share how you feel and explain how the gambling is impacting you
- Avoid passing judgment and verbal attacks
- Set limits as to what you are willing and not willing to do
- Offer support but be clear about the type of support you're willing to provide
- Encourage activities you can do together that are not gambling related
- Advise there is help and hope and one doesn't need to handle the problem alone
- Become educated about the subject
- If you’re experiencing difficulties due to gambling and need to speak with someone to find out about free services that may be helpful to you, a friend or family member, call our 24-hour confidential and anonymous HelpLine at 1-888-ADMIT-IT or 1-888-236-4848. We’re here to help and we don’t play games. Our HelpLine is multilingual, so if an elder grandparent or someone you are concerned about does not speak English as their primary language, keep in mind that our service can communicate with anyone.
- To speak with a recovering compulsive gambler, call our 24-hour confidential HelpLine and ask for our Peer Connect program.
- To review and order posters, brochures, and other materials available for youth and other populations, visit our Resources section. All material requests must be made by calling our 24-hour confidential HelpLine or sending us an email.
- As a means of assuring privacy, HelpLine callers seeking assistance are sent information in a blank envelope, without revealing the name or address of our organization.
Gambling is illegal in Florida for persons under the age of 18. However, research has shown that almost 70% of the state’s youth ages 13-17 have gambled, 40% of whom have done so in the past year, and 11.5% participate on a weekly basis. Despite restrictions, some youth are gaining access to adult gambling venues, and nearly 20% report purchasing lottery tickets within their lifetime, with 12.5% doing so within the past 12 months.
A 2002 study completed by the University of Florida, under contract with the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG), revealed that more than 80,000 young people (8.2%) between the ages of 13 and 17 in Florida are at-risk of becoming compulsive gamblers and nearly 40,000 (3.8%) suffer from serious to severe difficulties. These rates are 2-4 times that of the adult population.
A secondary analysis of data compiled among Florida middle and high school students by the Florida Department of Children and Families uncovered that high risk gamblers are more likely to engage in other at-risk behaviors at greater rates (Lieberman and Cuadrado, 2006). Moreover, data collected within Florida Department of Juvenile Justice facilities has documented that 17% of the young people incarcerated are there due to crimes related to gambling, 51% of whom are in some type of need of supportive intervention (Lieberman and Cuadrado, 2002).
To view an executive summary of the adolescent prevalence survey or other research by the FCCG, visit our Research section. To order a copy of a complete report, call the FCCG HelpLine or email us.
RESOURCES FOR YOUTH
Today’s youth are betting on dares, video games, sports, Internet activities, cards, games of skill (e.g. basketball or pool) and other venues. To raise awareness about gambling among young people, the FCCG has developed a series of video materials, public service announcements for television, a docudrama, interactive computer games, and a problem gambling prevention program for parents and educators, with complete lesson plans and student activities for the state’s public school system. The FCCG has also created an Online Forum for youth, where young people can share thoughts and feelings openly among peers.
To learn more about the effects of problem gambling, FCCG studies among youth, at-risk, and incarcerated youth, as well as programs geared toward this population, view our Resources for a complete listing by category, including print materials, posters, toolkits, research, videos, and more. If you are a parent of a middle or high school student, or an educator, SAFE Coordinator, counselor, or other professional seeking information and/or instructional learning exercises on gambling among youth, send us an email to view and order your free PTA Toolkit.
