Teenage Gambling

by Jerry "Jet" Whittaker
June 26, 2006

Gambling usually starts out with an innocent wager or bet for the fun of it or to prove ones supreme knowledge of the subject of discussion and turns into an uncontrollable addiction. During the past few years there has been an increased number of teenagers who are becoming compulsive gamblers. This can be attributed to family members who gamble, televised gambling tournaments, in fact it may be apt to say that gambling is taking on the dimensions of an epidemic among teenagers with no solution in sight.

What can be done?

Noting that the stream of ‘stop gambling’ commercials has had no effect. These commercials have not been able to reach the teenager addict but may reach the parents of such adolescents who may have such a problem. There is but one way to help and that is to educate our teenagers in the classroom and at home. Identifying those who have a compulsive gambling addiction, then helping them identifying their addiction can achieve an awareness of the dangers of compulsive gambling, teaching teenagers with addictions to learn about self esteem and trust and the dangers of gambling. Teenagers negatively affected by gambling show strong signs of self destruction and an apathy towards going to school. Parents of such children will do well to recognize some of the signs and help their child recover from such a condition.

Signs of compulsive gambling:

First of all changes are noticed in the individuals family behavior. A teenager caught up in a compulsive gambling disorder will be withdrawn from family with an increased level of hostility or irritability towards others. Lying concerning their whereabouts, overly excited or upset at the outcome of games on television, unusual devotion to the publication of sports results, absence from school or classes, lethargy towards school, drop in grades, unexplained need for money, unusual borrowings, missing valuables or cash from the house. Apart from this parents should be alert about late night calls, frequent betting games at home, 1-900 numbers, phone call charges to sports results establishments, lottery tickets lying around the house, IOU’s and betting slips.

What to Do.

Once parents have detected some of the above mentioned behavioral characteristics they must speak to their ward. The treatment would require a psychiatric evaluation to rule out biochemical addictions, impulse control disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder and anti social disorders.  There are basically five steps to decision making such as; identifying the problem, considering all possible solutions, the consequences of each possible solution and selecting one solution. After proper deliberation it is advisable to take professional help in counseling on the dangers of gambling and the positive points of leading a straight hardworking lifestyle.

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