Teenagers who gamble are at higher risk for other kinds of addictions such as drug and alcohol dependencies, according to a new study from Purdue University. The research team also found that teen gamblers are more likely to engage in risky sex and less likely to get help than adult gamblers.
- Dr. Lynn Blinn-Pike and her colleagues went through 137 previous studies of adolescent gambling and found that it is an international problem.
- About 80 percent of all teenagers are involved in some kind of gambling, and 10 to 15 percent are at risk for developing gambling addictions.
- More than 5 percent of all 18-to-20-year-olds gamble online.
"There are a lot of sad stories out there," said Dr. Blinn-Pike," and I am trying to draw attention to this issue."
The study appears in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Labels: risky_behaviors, gambling
Posted By: Troubled Teens