Ontario teenagers gambling as early as age 15: survey

(CBC) - A new study shows that 35 per cent of Ontario's 15- to 17-year-olds are gambling for money, and that percentage is expected to double by the time they are 20.

The Responsible Gambling Council study found that about 40 per cent of teens who are gambling play poker, and about 25 per cent bet on sports.

The council's CEO, Jon Kelly, said about 10 per cent gamble online. In most cases, they use their parents' credit cards, because their own cards would show they are under-age.

Only about seven per cent admitted to having a gambling problem.

Kelly said the data that was collected in the survey will be used to develop prevention programs better suited to young people.

"Thirteen per cent of teenagers who play poker say they sometimes spend more money than they can afford on gambling, and that's a particular concern," Kelly said.

Teens are absorbing information about gambling from the internet, parents, friends and TV, Kelly said. This includes erroneous messages such as, 'Gambling is a good way to make money,' or, 'If you lose, you can win your money back.'

"We have to address these kinds of false beliefs early."

Nigel Turner researches problem gambling at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto.

"Problematic gambling is very much about dreaming, dreaming of the big win," Turner said Thursday. "Teenagers are very much prone to dreaming more. Their goals very frequently are out of reality."

The study also asked teens why they were gambling. Most reported they gambled for entertainment, but a large number said they gambled because they needed money (20.7 per cent), and because they wanted to win back lost money (15.3 per cent). "Kids are spending more money and time gambling, so we need to let them know about the risks," said Laurie Bell, director of prevention programs for the council.

The Responsible Gambling Council of Ontario is an independent, non-profit organization committed to preventing problem gambling.

the CBC, 2007