The Oklahoma Association on Problem and Compulsive Gambling (OAPCG) is working with the National Council for Problem Gambling to raise awareness of the dangers of underage gambling this holiday season. Some adults report giving lottery tickets to children as gifts during the holiday season; however, early gambling experiences, including lottery products, are a risk factor for later problem gambling. Lottery scratch tickets have been shown to present a possible gateway to other gambling activities.
People with a gambling disorder report an earlier onset of gambling as compared to people without the disorder, so preventing underage gambling is an important factor in preventing addiction to gambling. A large number of young people report their first gambling experience occurs around 9 to 11 years of age, and approximately 80 percent of high-school aged adolescents report having gambled for money during the past year. Two to four percent of adolescents presently have a problem with gambling, and ten to 14 percent of adolescents are at-risk for developing a problem with gambling. To put it into perspective, adults gambling disorder prevalence rates are about one to two percent of the population. While male adolescents gamble more frequently than females, female adolescents are more actively involved in lottery play.
“If we can raise awareness and educate on the risks of giving lottery products to children, we can do our part in minimizing potential harm,” says Wiley Harwell, executive director for OAPCG.