As more teens and young adults increasingly have access and exposure to online gambling, only one in four parents say they have talked to their teen about some aspect of virtual betting, a national poll suggests.
Most parents (over half) are not aware of their state’s legal age for online gambling, and 1 in 6 admit they likely wouldn’t know if their teen or young adult were betting online.
Parents concerns for online betting with young people are the following:
-83% believe their teen or young adult will get into debt
-77% believe their teen or young adult will develop a gambling addiction
-51% believe it will ruin their credit score
-27% believe it will lead to substance abuse (drug and/or alcohol)
Warning signs your teen is online gambling
- Sudden changes in the amount of money your teen has or is spending, whether that means they are consistently short on cash or have more than usual
- Mood changes, signs of depression, anxiety, withdrawn, excessive sleeping, irritable
- Poor academic performance
- Lack of interest in social interaction or other activities
- A preoccupation with gambling sites, apps, and games or sports results
- Behaving secretly or spending excessive time isolated in their room
How can you help your teen stop online gambling
As with any risky behavior, it starts with conversations, and the earlier the better. They can be short chats, but be sure they are frequent and meaningful.
- Discuss gambling and the risks involved such as compulsive behavior to financial problems and even teens that have started stealing from their family to satisfy their addiction.
- Besides being illegal for teens, online gambling can easily become addictive and is linked to mental health problems such as low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.
- Point out to them that there are so many gambling sites and apps because they make much more money than they give away to players. Explain that gambling companies always at an advantage – they are structured in a way that they will always make more money than they pay out to gamblers. Otherwise, they would go out of business quickly.
If your teen has an addiction to gambling or is suffering mental health issues that are causing them to engage in destructive behavior, it’s time to reach out for help. If you find that your local resources are not working, please contact us to learn more about residential treatment — in some situations removing your teen from their devices can be very beneficial.
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