Abstract
Long term trends, based on findings from twenty independent prevalence studies surveying middle and high school youth in North America, suggest that within the past year two out of three legally underage youth have gambled for money. In the United States and Canada as many as 15.3 million 12–17 year olds have been gambling with or without adult awareness or approval, and 2.2 million of these are experiencing serious gambling-related problems. Lottery play dominates legalized forms of gambling among juveniles in both the United States and Canada. Trends between 1984–1999 indicate a substantial increase in the proportion of juveniles who report gambling within the past year, and a parallel increase in the proportion of juveniles reporting serious gambling-related problems. Yet, there continues to be little public awareness or concern about the extent, or the potential hazards associated with juvenile gambling. A composite profile of juveniles reporting numerous gambling problems is contrasted with their peers who reported few or none. Future prospects concerning this growing problem are offered.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
American Gaming Association. (1996, 1998). Responsible Gaming Resource Guide. Washington, DC: American Gaming Association.
Arcuri, A. F., Lester, D., & Smith, F. (1985). Shaping adolescent gambling behavior. Adolescence, 20, 935-938.
Custer, R. L., & Custer, L. F. (1978). Characteristics of the recovering compulsive gambler: A survey of 150 members of Gamblers Anonymous. Paper presented at the Fourth National Conference on Gambling, Reno, NV.
Custer, R. L., & Milt, H. (1985). When luck runs out. New York: Facts on File Publications.
Elia, C., & Jacobs, D. F. (1993). The incidence of pathological gambling among Native Americans treated for alcohol dependence. The International Journal of the Addictions, 28 (7), 659-666.
Gupta, R., & Derevensky, J. L. (1996). The relationship between gambling and videogame playing behavior in children and adolescents. Journal of Gambling Studies, 12 (4) 375-394.
Gupta, R., & Derevensky, J. L. (1998a). An empirical examination of Jacobs' General Theory of Addictions: Do adolescent gamblers fit the theory? Journal of Gambling Studies, 14 (1), 17-49.
Gupta, R., & Derevensky, J. L. (1998b). Adolescent gambling behavior: A prevalence study and examination of the correlates associated with problem gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 14 (4), 319-345.
Insight Canada Research. (1994, December). An exploration of the prevalence of pathological gambling behaviour among adolescents in Ontario. Report prepared for the Canadian Foundation on Compulsive Gambling. Toronto, Ontario: Author.
Jacobs, D. F. (1982). The addictive personality syndrome: A new theoretical model for understanding and treating addictions. In W. R. Eadington (Ed.), The gambling papers, vol. 2: Pathological gambling, theory and practice (pp 1-55). Reno: University of Nevada.
Jacobs, D. F. (1984a). Factors alleged as predisposing to compulsive gambling. In Sharing recovery through Gamblers Anonymous (pp.227-233). Los Angeles, CA: Gamblers Anonymous Publishing Inc.
Jacobs, D. F. (1984b). Study of traits leading to compulsive gambling. In Sharing recovery through Gamblers Anonymous (pp. 120-123). Los Angeles, CA: Gamblers Anonymous Publishing, Inc.
Jacobs, D. F. (1985). Evidence for a common state of altered identity among addicts. Paper presented at the 93rd Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Los Angeles, CA.
Jacobs, D. F. (1986). A General Theory of Addictions: A new theoretical model. Journal of Gambling Behavior, 2, 15-31.
Jacobs, D. F. (1988a). Evidence for a common dissociative reaction among addicts. Journal of Gambling Behavior, 4, 27-37.
Jacobs, D. F. (1988b). Problem gamblers and white collar crime. In W. R. Eadington (Ed.), Gambling research: Gamblers and gambler behavior. College of Business Administration. Reno: University of Nevada-Reno.
Jacobs, D. F. (1989a). Illegal and undocumented: A review of teenage gambling and the plight of children of problem gamblers in America. In H. J. Shaffer, S. Stein, B. Gambino, & T. Cummings (Eds.), Compulsive gambling: Theory, research and practice (pp. 249-292). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
Jacobs, D. F. (1989b). A General Theory of Addictions: Rationale for and evidence supporting a new approach for understanding and treating addictive behaviors. In H. J. Shaffer, S. Stein, B. Gambino, & T. Cummings (Eds.), Compulsive gambling: Theory, research and practice (pp. 35-64). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
Jacobs, D. F. (1990a). Focus on teenage gamblers. Behavior Today, 21, 1-4.
Jacobs, D. F. (1990b). Gambling behaviors of high school students: Implications for governmentsupported gambling. In C. S. Campbell & J. Lowman (Eds.) Gambling in Canada: Golden Goose or Trojan Horse? Burnaby, British Columbia: Simon Fraser University.
Jacobs, D. F. (1992). Prevalence of problem gambling among hospitalized adult male substance abusers. Paper presented at the Sixth National Conference on Gambling Behavior, Cleveland, OH.
Jacobs, D. F. (1994). Evidence supporting the “Pied Piper Effect” of lottery promotion and sales on juvenile gambling. Paper presented at the Eighth National Conference on Gambling Behavior, Seattle, WA.
Jacobs, D. F., (1995). A 14 year old plays cards for cash: Is it more than fun and games? The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 4, 1-3.
Jacobs, D. F. (1998, September). An overarching theory of addictions: A new paradigm for understanding and treating addictive behaviors. Paper presented at the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC.
Jacobs, D. F., Marston, A. R., & Singer, R. D. (1985a). Study of gambling and other health-threatening behaviors among high school students. Unpublished manuscript. Loma Linda, CA: Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Hospital.
Jacobs, D. F., Marston, A. R., & Singer, R. D. (1985b). Testing a General Theory of Addictions: Similarities and differences between alcoholics, pathological gamblers and compulsive overeaters. In J. J. Sanchez-Soza (Ed.), Health and clinical psychology (pp. 265-310). Amsterdam, Holland: Elcevier Publishers.
Jacobs, D. F., Marston, A. R., & Singer, R. D. (1987). A post-lottery study of gambling behaviors among high school students. Unpublished research study. Loma Linda, CA: Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Hospital.
Jacobs, D. F., Marston, A. R., Singer, R. D., Widaman, K., Little, T., & Veizades, J. (1989). Children of problem gamblers. Journal of Gambling Behavior, 5, 261-268.
Johnston, L., Bachman, J., & O'Malley, P. (1979). 1979 Highlights: Drugs and the nation's high school students: Five year national trends. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Drug Abuse.
Kallick, M., Suits, D., Dielman, T., & Hybels, J. (1976). Survey of American gambling attitudes and behavior. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Keating, P. (1996, May). Lotto fever: We all lose! Money, 142-149.
Kuley, N., & Jacobs, D. F. (1987). A pre-lottery benchmark study of teenage gambling in Virginia. Unpublished research study. Loma Linda, CA: Loma Linda University Department of Psychiatry.
Kuley, N., & Jacobs, D. F. (1988). The relationship between dissociative-like experiences and sensation seeking among social and problem gamblers. Journal of Gambling Behavior, 4, 197-207.
Kuley, N., & Jacobs, D. F. (1989). A post-lottery impact study of effects on teenage gambling behaviors. Unpublished research study. Loma Linda, CA: Loma Linda University Department of Psychiatry.
Ladouceur, R., Dubé, D., & Bujold, D. (1994). Gambling among primary school students. Journal of Gambling Studies, 10, 363-370.
Ladouceur, R., & Mireault, C. (1988). Gambling behaviors among high school students in the Québec area. Journal of Gambling Behavior, 4, 3-12.
Lesieur, H. R. (1987a). Gambling, pathological gambling and crime. In T. Galski (Ed.), The handbook of pathological gambling (pp. 89-110). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
Lesieur, H. R., & Blume, S. B. (1987). The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS): A new instrument for the identification of pathological gamblers. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 1184-1188.
Lesieur, H. R., & Blume, S. B. (1991). Evaluation of patients treated for pathological gambling in a combined alcohol, substance abuse and pathological gambling treatment unit using the Addiction Severity Index. British Journal of Addictions, 86, 1017-1028.
Lesieur, H. R., & Klein, R. (1984). Gambling among high school students in New Jersey. Unpublished research study. New York: John Jay College.
Lesieur, H. R., & Klein, R. (1987). Pathological gambling among high school students. Addictive Behaviors, 12, 129-135.
Milgram, G. G. (1982). Youthful drinking: Past and present. Journal of Drug Education, 12, 289-308.
National Council on Problem Gambling. (1999). National survey of problem gambling programs. Washington, DC: Author.
National Opinion Research Center. (1999). Overview of National Survey and Community Database Research on Gambling Behavior. Report to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago.
Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotion Institute. (1995). Firewatch on aboriginal adolescent gambling. Edmonton, Canada.
Omnifacts Research Limited. (1993). An examination of the prevalence of gambling in Nova Scotia. Research Report Number 93090 for the Nova Scotia Department of Health, Drug Dependency Services. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Author.
Pertzoff, L. (1990). Americans with Disabilities Act: Compulsive gamblers not covered. Delaware Council on Gambling Problems Newsletter #6.
Ramirez, L. F., McCormick, R. A., Russo, A. M., & Taber, J. I. (1984). Patterns of substance abuse in pathological gamblers undergoing treatment: Addictive Behaviors, 8, 425-428.
Rupcich, N., Govoni, R., & Frisch, G. (in press). Gambling behavior of adolescent gamblers. Journal of Gambling Studies.
Shaffer, H. J., Hall, M. N., & Bilt, J. V. (1997). Estimating the prevalence of disordered gambling behavior in the United States and Canada: A meta-analysis. Project funded by the National Center for Responsible Gambling. Kansas City, Missouri.
Shaffer, H. J., LaBrie, R., Scanlan, K. M., & Cummings, T. N. (1994). Pathological gambling among adolescents: Massachusetts Adolescent Gambling Screen (MAGS). Journal of Gambling Studies, 10, 339-362.
Steinberg, M. (1988). Gambling behavior among high school students in Connecticut. Paper presented at the Third National Conference on Gambling. New London, CT.
Stinchfield, R., Cassuto, N., Winters, K., & Latimer, W. (1997). Prevalence of gambling among Minnesota public school students in 1992 and 1995. Journal of Gambling Studies, 13 (1), 25-48.
Taber, J. I., & McCormick, R. A. (1987). The pathological gambler in treatment. In T. Galski (Ed.), The handbook of pathological gambling (pp. 137-168).Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
Volberg, R. A. (1993). Gambling and problem gambling in Washington state. Report to the Washington State Lottery. Albany, NY: Gemini Research.
Volberg, R. A. (1996). Gambling and problem gambling in Georgia. Report to the Georgia Department of Health. Roaring Springs, PA: Gemini Research.
Volberg, R. A., & Abbott, M. W. (1994). Lifetime prevalence estimates of pathological gambling in New Zealand. International Journal of Epidemiology, 23, 976-983.
Volberg, R. A., & Moore, W. L. (1999). Gambling and problem gambling among adolescents in Washington State: A replication study, 1993–1999. A report to the Washington State Lottery. Gemini Research.
Wallisch, L. (1993). Gambling in Texas: The 1992 Texas survey of adolescent gambling behavior. Austin, TX: Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Wallisch, L. (1995). Gambling in Texas: The 1995 Texas survey of adolescent gambling behavior. Austin, TX: Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Westphal, J. R., Rush, J. A., Stevens, L., & Johnson, L. J. (1998). Pathological gambling among Louisiana students: Grades six through twelve. Paper presented at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting. Toronto, Canada.
Winters, K. C., & Anderson, N. (2000). Gambling involvement and drug use among adolescents. Journal of Gambling Studies, 16 (2/3), 175-198.
Winters, K. C., Stinchfield, R., & Fulkerson, J. (1990). Adolescent survey of gambling behavior in Minnesota: A benchmark. Report to the Department of Human Services Mental Health Division. Duluth, MN: Center for Addiction Studies, University of Minnesota.
Winters, K. C., & Stinchfield, R. D. (1993). Gambling behavior among Minnesota youth: Monitoring change from 1990 to 1991/1992. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse.
Wynne, H. J., Smith, G. J., & Jacobs, D. F. (1996). Adolescent gambling and problem gambling in Alberta. Alberta, Canada: Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission.
Zitzow, D. (1993, July). Incidence and comparative study of compulsive gambling behaviors between Indians and non-Indians within and near a northern plains reservation. Paper presented at The Third National Conference on Gambling Behavior, New London, CT.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jacobs, D.F. Juvenile Gambling in North America: An Analysis of Long Term Trends and Future Prospects. J Gambl Stud 16, 119–152 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009476829902
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009476829902