Children and Gambling
A recent national study estimated that nearly 70 percent of Americans aged 14 to 19 years gambled in the past year. They wagered money on poker, sports, the lottery and a variety of other games.
Young people gamble nearly as much as adults but play different games. Here are some snapshots of youth gambling:
- Two students playing basketball in the gym after school bet a dollar on who will make the first three-point shot.
- A 10th-grader forms a betting pool for wagers on football.
- A high-school senior uses his parents’ credit card to gamble online.
- Students play poker on Saturday nights for pennies or for a bigger pot.
- An eighth-grader tries to buy a lottery ticket with leftover change from buying a pint of ice cream at the local convenience store.
- Twelve-year-olds make wagers with friends on video games.
- A group of high-school seniors drive to a casino hoping to sneak in despite the age restriction.