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According to myaddiction.com, “85% of US adults have gambled at least once in their lifetime.” Although many of that number never return to gambling, an estimated 2% of gamblers are teens, and “10% of Nevada’s youth are considered ‘at risk’ to developing a gambling problem.”
What does this mean for teens living in other states across the nation?
Many have looked at the statistics of accessibility when it comes to gambling access, and if the numbers are correct, easy access to gambling brings the percentages up. This should cause parents some concern, especially when one considers the accessibility of internet gaming.
Worried about the ease of accessibility?
These ideas should help you.
- Keep your own gambling to a minimum. Whether you decide to gamble online or off, make sure you have established a total amount you are willing to lose.
- Find time for your teen. Do things with them outside of the computer.
- Keep the computer in a main area of the house where a door cannot be shut and where people are constantly walking through.
- Talk about the odds with your teens; explain who usually has the higher of the two. Talk to your teen about compulsive gambling and how they can avoid the trap.
- Make computer time a time for study and learning more than computer games. If computer games are played teach your teen to opt out for the free variety.
Accessibility when it comes to teens and gambling is a serious question to think about. For what becomes accessible often becomes a problem. Discourage a problem from developing by applying some of the tips above.
