Problem gambling as a social and public health issue

Gambling among youth is a growing public health concern. While gambling is predominantly seen as a harmless adult pass-time, many youth exposed to the availability and accessibility of various forms of gambling are tempted by the pressures to participate.

• Current research shows that problem gambling among adolescents is associated with adverse outcomes including delinquency, crime, depression and suicide that have an impact on broader society.

• The burden of problem gambling among youth is socially invisible and masked by popular misconceptions. Public perception and knowledge is misguided largely as a result of the promotion of gambling as a harmless form of entertainment and an enjoyable activity. Furthermore, gambling problems in children and adolescents often go unnoticed as they are difficult to measure and observe.

• The gambling industry actively perpetuates a vision of gambling as entertaining, glamorous and as a means of achieving financial freedom. As the gambling industry continues to grow, governments throughout the world are sanctioning and encouraging participation in spite of the rising negative social costs. While most gambling is illegal for minors, there is clear evidence that underage youth continue to actively participate in these activities.

• Despite its negative social impact, problem gambling in children and adolescents has only recently emerged as a public health issue. To date, little effort has been made to assess, counter, or prevent problem gambling in youth.
  

Information & Awareness

Pamphlets - Provide accurate information on youth gambling in a simple and clear manner. Information includes myths, facts and frequently asked questions. Ideal for use in waiting rooms, school guidance counsellor offices, clinics, community centres and health agencies. Appropriate for ages 12 or older.

Screen cards - List of specific self-screening questions to assess level of gambling behaviour and risk for problems. Appropriate for all adolescents and young adults.

Newsletter/Newsflash - The Newsletter is released once every quarter and provides the latest information on youth gambling issues as well as information on adolescent high-risk behaviour. The Newsflash is released monthly and provides a summary of the latest research or new phenomenon. The Newsflash is available in English and French. Both electronic resources are available free of charge. Please email us at: ygi@youthgambling.com if you would like us to add you to our mailing list.

Interactive Media

CD-Rom Game - Two interactive CD-Rom programs, The Amazing Château for primary school students (grades 4-6) and Hooked City for secondary school students (grades 7-11) are now available. These programs are accompanied by a teacher's manual and are available in French and English.

Video - This docudrama aims to increase awareness and understanding of problem gambling through the use of real life stories. Portraying the life of an individual who experienced a serious gambling problem, vignettes carried out by actors highlight the themes and problems raised by this individual. The issue of problem gambling is depicted in a unique and non-judgmental way. This 25 minute video is available in both VHS and DVD and is accompanied by a manual which includes follow-up questions useful in classroom or group settings.

Workshop - Interactive workshops are available on CD-Rom and are suitable for elementary schools, high schools as well as community groups in both English and French. Topics include demystifying gambling problems, examining false cognitions and illusions of control, paralleling drug addiction with gambling problems, and defining and exploring concepts of luck, chance and randomness.