Research shows that the earlier a person’s participation, or even exposure to gambling in childhood, the more likely they are to develop a gambling problem later in life. Gambling exposure during childhood is often through some kind of lottery product, given by an adult who is likely unaware of the associated risks.
Lottery products are never appropriate gifts for children.
Youth problem gambling is a growing public health concern. Even though gambling activities are legally restricted to adults (age 18+ for lottery products) there is clear evidence that underage youth continue to actively participate in gambling.
- Many young people report their first gambling experience occurs around 9-11 years of age.
- Approximately 60 percent of high-school-aged adolescents report having gambled for money during the past year.
- Ten to 14 percent of adolescents are at-risk for developing a problem with gambling.
- While male adolescents gamble more frequently than females, female adolescents are more actively involved in lottery play.
- Four to six percent of adolescents presently have a serious problem with gambling. Putting it into perspective, the adult gambling disorder prevalence rate in Illinois is 3.8% of the population.
For more information on the National Council on Problem Gambling’s Responsible Gifting Campaign please visit https://www.ncpgambling.org/programs-resources/gift-responsibly-campaign/.
For additional data points, see the STATEWIDE GAMBLING AND PROBLEM GAMBLING NEEDS ASSESSMENT at https://e.helplineil.org/areyoureallywinning/statewide-gambling-assessment/.