The popularity of poker has been big the past few years, and that is mostly because of teens and young adults. Rose Gruber, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling, knows now this is where the problem is coming from. Youth gambling rates are estimated to be double the rate of adults, and people should be concerned.
An estimated 6-12% of teens are at risk of being addicted to gambling, and 5% of Wisconsin's adult public is at risk. 16% of the population has someone in their life that has a gambling problem. According to a 2004 survey, around half of school students aged 14-18 have either watched or participated in some type of gambling before.
Many parents seem to have the attitude that gambling at home with a group of friends friendly and is ok. Many young problem gamblers report initiating gambling at an early age (such as 10 years of age). It’s important for parents and guardians to be aware of the signs of a gambling problem, even in a young child. |
