Why Is Gambling Illegal For Minors
- I understand why drinking is illegal under 21 b/c minors are not experienced to handle it, but you can't really say that about gambling can you? I guess they don't want kids to become degenerates, but many will anyway.
- Top 10 Reasons Why Gambling is Bad. Article by lipika bhattacharya, April 21, 2014. Gaming when illegal is called gambling. This is the most crude and layman definition of the vice which involves wagering of money or something of material value.
- Many have pointed to the history of gambling in America as a testament to why other, presently criminalized activities should be legalized, such as drug use or prostitution. Just as with gambling, drugs and prostitution are seen as “victimless” crimes, designed to curb vice rather than present one person from harming another.
Gambling is a popular pastime for adults, whether it is purchasing lotto tickets, betting on sports games or casino-style gambling. Unsurprisingly, internet gambling has also become popular; it is so popular that in the fall of 2011, comScore found that online gambling was the fastest growing online category, with almost 10 million U.S. users.
Global online gambling is now worth an estimated $30 billion. And online poker is estimated to be worth $6 billion annually in the US alone, as the Justice Department has apparently opened the door to internet gambling by reversing their longtime position that online poker and betting was illegal.
Jun 20, 2016 Manipulation of gaming equipment; use of unapproved wagering instruments illegal. Private, social gambling allowed. Note: State laws are constantly changing - again, contact a Nevada gaming attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching. If gambling is illegal for minors then so should arcades because the basically share the same concepts of action. In a casino you trade in your money to get chips equal to the same value of money as you put in. These chips only have value in the casino where they are used to place bets.
Just how open online gambling will become with this change of ruling has yet to be seen, but it is interesting to note that Sheldon Adelson, owner of the Las Vegas Sands Casino and one of the world's richest men, responded to the ruling with concern, saying that “loosening the reins on online gambling will take a heavy toll on young people, especially because current technology isn't robust enough to keep children from betting real money using their computers .”
He’s right. Internet gambling takes little more than acquiring or “borrowing” a credit card.
Internet gambling sites already have teens and young adult users on their sites. A whopping 20% of college students play online poker at least once a month according to the Annenberg Public Policy Center, an organization that has tracked young people’s use of gambling sites for over 10 years.
In 2010 the Annenberg Public Policy Center surveyed students and compared the results to their 2008 survey. They found that monthly use of internet gambling sites among college-age males shot up from 4.4% in 2008 to 16.0% in 2010. In spite of the sharp increase in participants, their frequency of use did not increase, remaining at about 3% on a weekly basis.
“The dramatic increase in the use of online gambling by college-age male youth indicates that payment restrictions on such sites are no longer a barrier to young people,” said Dan Romer, director of the Annenberg Adolescent Communication Institute, which conducts the annual survey. Projected on a national basis, more than 400,000 male youth in the college age range (18 to 22) gamble for money at least once a week on the Internet, and over 1.7 million do so at least once a month.
The researchers noted that high school-aged males showed only a small and statistically insignificant increase in monthly use of Internet gambling sites between 2008 and 2010 (from 2.7% to 6.2%), but this still represents over 530,000 high school- aged male students visiting gambling sites per month.
Among high school females, the study found that females continue to gamble less than males, but the latest survey shows a sharp rise in some types of offline gambling, primarily related to sports. While only 9.5% of high school girls reported engaging in sports betting on a monthly basis in 2008, fully 22% reported doing so in 2010.
Sports betting was the main reason for the overall increase in total gambling for high school-aged females, going from 18.9% in 2008 to 28.2% in 2010.
The frequency of betting also showed a dramatic increase, from less than 1% in 2008 to 8.3% in 2010.
Contributing to this trend is the availability of online venues and the expansion and acceptance of offline gambling.
Why youth gamble
Today's teens are living in a society where legalized gambling is not only socially acceptable; it is widely promoted and highly visible. 48 states now allow some form of gambling. Casinos advertise heavily on TV, radio, online and billboard ads. Poker tournaments complete with expert commentary, interesting filming angles, and million-dollar prizes have become “hot ticket” reality TV on cable & broadband networks.
Given the prevalence, visibility, and glamour now afforded to gambling, it is not surprising that many teens are drawn to the instant gratification, thrill, and hope of fast money. The three predominant reasons reported by teens for gambling are (a) the excitement it brings, (b) enjoyment, and (c) to win money. Other reasons adolescents gamble include peer pressure, to relieve boredom and to relieve feelings of depression. This is particularly the case on college campuses where students play poker in dorm rooms and local bars.
Columbia University Medical Center's research indicates that teenagers make up half of the 16 million people in the United States with gambling addictions. At a time when youth are struggling and searching for their identity, gambling can appeal both because of its excitement value and its ability to rapidly boost a youth’s self-image. This can dramatically switch, however, when losses inevitably increase and trigger a drop in self-esteem, financial anxiety, and depression. Youth may begin stealing or selling possessions to pay off debts, or to continue gambling in the hopes of winning big.
Columbia’s research also indicates that youth who begin gambling at an early age are at increased risk of addiction and that gambling-addicted youths’ perceptions become altered into believing they have a higher than 50% chance of winning. Parents that gamble, give lottery tickets to youth or show approval of gambling are often a key contributing factor in teens with problem gambling. Teens succumb to gambling addiction at rates between two and four times the rate of adults.
Complicating efforts to protect minors from online gambling is the ever-present access to computers and mobile phones (several online casinos and card rooms offer mobile options) that make gambling just a click away. Another factor is the anonymity of online interactions: ID verification checks that serve as barriers to underage gambling in brick-and-mortar casinos are practically non-existent in the world of online gambling.
Identifying gambling addiction
If you suspect that you or your child has a gambling problem, review the following list of questions created by the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling that helps identify if gambling has become an addiction:
Problem Gambling Warning Signs:
- Is gambling the most exciting activity in your life?
- Do you miss school, activities, or other events due to gambling?
- Has anyone expressed concern about your gambling?
- Do you lie to your friends or family about your gambling?
- Do you borrow money to gamble?
- Have you sold personal belongings to get money to gamble?
- Have you stolen from your family, friends, or employer to gamble or to pay back gambling debts?
- After losing, do you try to win your money back by gambling?
- Are you preoccupied with thoughts of gambling?
- Have you tried to stop gambling but can't?
Recovery from online gambling addictions is particularly challenging because in a moment of weakness a relapse is still only one click away.
Several states and organizations offer assistance for people struggling with gambling addictions and can provide referral services to councilors and programs in your area. To find help in your area, ask your doctor, or search online for “Internet Gambling addiction help” (plus the name of your state or city). You may also choose to contact Gamblers Anonymous and see their local listings for your area.
Talk about online gambling
Given the ease of access and the allure that online gambling (and real world gambling) has on teens and college-age students, it is critical that youth (particularly males) and parents understand and discuss the risks to minors surrounding this activity. After gaining a basic understanding of the issues around internet gambling through this article, you may be prepared for this discussion. If you believe the problems you are facing require more assistance you may want to contact your primary care physician or review additional online material through the links embedded within this document and in the additional links below.
More resources on online gambling:
iThe Christian Science Monitor
iihttp://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/1226/Boom-in-Internet-gambling-ahead-US-policy-reversal-clears-the-way/%28page%29/2
iii http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/NewsDetails.aspx?myId=395
iv http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/NewsDetails.aspx?myId=395
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In most countries it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to gamble. Although a few underage gamblers certainly manage to sneak into land-based casinos, they are generally quite good at stopping teens at the door.
With internet gambling however, there is little to stop a teen from placing bets online. In general, if they are able to get their hands on a credit card they can easily register at an online gambling website. The research tends to support the theory that it is simple for teens to gamble online and adolescents (especially boys) are often over-represented among online problem gamblers.
In this article TechAddiction examines the risk factors for teens with a online gambling problem, advice for parents of teenage gamblers, and offers a self-assessment questionnaire for teen gamblers.
Risk Factors For Teen Online Gambling
Private, unlimited access to the internet (i.e., in a bedroom)
Having immediate family members who gamble
Starting to gamble at an early age
Frequent use of 'free-to-play' areas on gambling websites
Experiencing a big win shortly after starting to play
Boredom / loneliness
Strong sensation - seeking tendencies
Impulsivity
Advice For Parents Of Teen Gamblers
Set a good example - if you do not want your children to gamble, do not do so yourself
Set (and enforce) clear rules about what kinds of sites are allowed and those that are not allowed
Install software that blocks access to online gambling websites (as well as other inappropriate online content)
Talk to your child about the dangers of online gambling and why it is especially inappropriate for someone of his or her age
Keep track of which websites your child is visiting
Make sure that computers are in open common areas - and defiantly not in your child's bedroom
Learn much more about teen gambling problems and prevention at www.youthgambling.com
The Gambling Addiction Questionnaire For Teens
1. Do you often think about gambling when you are at school, at work, or with friends?
2. Are you spending more on gambling now than you were when you first started?
3. When you try to cut back on how often you gamble do you become angry, stressed, or easily irritated?
4. When you have problems with your friends, family, or school do you gamble to temporarily forget this problems?
5. When you lose money gambling, do you try to win it back?
6. Do you lie to your family and friends about how often you gamble or how much you have won or lost?
7. Do you spend on gambling that is intended for other things (e.g., lunch, clothing, transportation)?
8. Have you stolen money from family members and used it to gamble?
9. Have you stolen money from non-family members and used it to gamble?
10. Do you get into trouble with your parents or other family members because of your gambling?
11. Do you sometimes miss school or work because you would rather gamble?
12. Have you ever asked for help to cut back or quit gambling?
If you answered 'Yes' to any of the questions above, you may be in the process of developing a gambling problem…or may already have one.
If there is even a chance that you have lost control of your gambling habits (even if you do not want to believe this), you need to do something about it. There are many people and organizations that can help you if you contact them. Talk to your parents, a school counsellor, or someone else you trust.
Also, help is just a phone call away with these problem gambling hotlines in Canada, in the US, the UK, and around the world.
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Page 1
Online Gambling Addiction - Risks, Facts, Signs, Stats, & Treatment
Page 2
Gambling Addiction Signs - Symptoms Of Online Gambling Addiction
Page 3
Why Online Gambling Is More Dangerous Than Casino Gambling
Page 4
Online Gambling Stats & Facts
Page 5
Online Gambling Addiction Treatment & Help
Page 6
Responsible Gambling - Ten Tips For Online Gamblers
Page 7
You May Have An Online Gambling Problem If You…
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The Popularity Of Online Gambling - Twelve Reasons
Page 9 (you are here)
Teenage Gambling Online - Risks, Assessment, & Advice
Why Is Gambling Illegal For Minors Allowed
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