This document summarizes information from a presentation on gambling. It defines gambling as risking something of value in hopes of obtaining something of greater value. It notes that youth gambling is increasing, especially with electronic forms, and that youth who gamble are more likely to engage in other risky behaviors like substance use. Data shows youth who gamble have higher rates of depression, fighting, and suicide attempts. Prevention efforts should focus on raising awareness, developing policies, and educating parents who often do not see youth gambling as risky. The increasing availability of new technologies blurs the line between gaming and gambling and may pose new risks for youth in the future.

1. GAMBLING
Julie Hynes | Lane County Public Health
SAPP 407 | University of Oregon
November 13, 2013

2. This
evening’s
outline

6. DEFINITION:
______ something of value
RISKING
in the hopes of obtaining
_________________
something of greater
value.
Source: American Psychiatric Association - DSM-5 (2013).

7. What are the 2 states that
DON’T have
legalized gambling?

8. AVAILABILITY OF LEGAL
GAMBLING IN U.S., 2010

9. Image sources: Oregon Lottery, Hynes

10. Image sources: Oregon Lottery, Hynes

11. ELECTRONIC GAMBLING:
“Video Poker/Slots/Line
Games”
7
$ out of
every $10
lottery
dollars
Photo source: Daniel Berman.
Source: Oregon Health Authority
(2012; ibid)

12. Photo: Hynes

13. Photo: Daniel Berman

16. 1 in 175
1 in 175,000
1 in 175 million
1 in 175 billion

17. 1 in 175 Million
(174,233,510)
Odds of getting struck by lightning:
1 in 280,000

18. Let’s say there is 1 RED
popcorn kernel in this bag of
10,000 pieces of popcorn
….you’d have a better
chance of reaching in and
grabbing the one red kernel
of popcorn in this bag than
you would of winning
$100 on a powerball ticket

19. So…if your lucky numbers
have “almost” come up in the
last 5 drawings, are your
chances better, worse, or the
same?

20. Sports bets
Lottery tickets
Video & online
Bingo & raffles

21. Gambling Treatment Clients
Gamblers' Preferences
Video lottery
& online gambling
Electronic
Gambling
89%
Cards
6%
Other
5%

22. Research shows about what
percentage of Oregon
adults have a gambling
problem?
0.1%
11.2%
1.2%
2.7%

23. 2.7% of Oregon adults
(1 in 37 people)
have a gambling problem.

26. No
Gambling
Recreational
Experimentation
At-Risk
Problem
Pathological
“GAMBLING DISORDER”
Sources: 1. Moore (2006). 2. Volberg, Hedberg, & Moore (2008). 3. Shaffer & Hall (2001). 4. Northwest Survey & Data
Services (2007). 5. Moore (2001).

27. The new DSM-5 (May 2013) defines
pathological gambling as a
“behavioral addiction,”
the first of its kind.

28. SIMILAR BEHAVIORAL CONDITIONS, like internet and
Binge eating, aren’t yet in the category of
“behavioral addiction.”
(It is thought They might be soon.)

30.  Gambling to escape problems
 "Chasing"
losses with more gambling
 Lying to family and others about the extent of gambling
 Committing crimes to finance gambling
 Jeopardizing or losing relationships, jobs, education or
career opportunities because of gambling
 Relying on others to bail him or her out relieve a
desperate financial situation caused by gambling

31. >70%
48%
are current
tobacco users
experience
suicidal ideation
10%
32%
have current
alcohol
problems
Source: Oregon Health Authority, 2012
actually attempt
suicide
Have current
drug problems

32. At what age is the
brain considered
fully developed?
 18
 21
 25
 16

33. The brain
is still
developing
until
The PREFRONTAL
CORTEX is the
LAST PART to
develop.

34. brain

35. Gambling & Dopamine
It’s not about the money – it’s about the action of the game and the hope of
winning.
Dopamine not released when expecting a loss.
Flooded with dopamine when expecting a win!
Source: Brain Briefings (2007, October), Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC

36. Sources: Tonneato, T. (1999). Cognitive psychopathology of problem gambling. Subst Use Misuse. Sep;34(11):1
Anecdotal reports from problem gamblers in treatment and recovery.

37. COGNITIVE Distortions
Superstition
 Lucky #’s
 Favorite shirt
 “My” machine
Image source: Anheuser-Busch
Rituals/habits that
are believed
to affect the outcome.

38. COGNITIVE Distortions
Biased Evaluation
Attributing wins to one’s special
skill or luck, while losses are
blamed on external circumstances.
 Example (win): “Yeah buddy! I was just waiting on my
card. I know this game inside and out.”
 Example (loss): “I would’ve won if that idiot didn’t get
lucky and draw an ace.”

39. COGNITIVE Distortions
Selective Memory
Forgetting about losses, only
remembering wins.
Image source: Anheuser-Busch

40. COGNITIVE Distortions
Gambler’s Fallacy
Failure to see each event as independent.
Examples:
• Trying to see patterns in coin flips.
• “This slot machine is DUE to hit!”

49. THIS
 …those are other ways our
minds trick us. We are wired to
see patterns in things.

50. Reflect: cognitive distortions.
Have you ever
experienced a
cognitive distortion?
What was the
experience like?

52. “A” Unique Set of Risks
Youth
gambling is
still under
the radar.

57. “The earlier people begin
gambling, the more likely
they are to experience
problems from gambling.”
- National Academy of Sciences

58. •Amygdala active
•Fight or flight, emotion
•Decision-making
altered
•More vulnerable to risktaking & impulsive
behaviors
Source: Ramoski, S., Nystrom, R. (2007).
“The adolescent brain is
especially sensitive to the
effects of dopamine.

59. AWARENESS (low)
2012 Oregon Student Wellness Survey, Lane County (“ESD”) and Oregon;
available at http://oregon.pridesurveys.com/esds.php?year=2011

60. ATTITUDES
Oregon parent/youth focus groups revealed:
All parents in their focus groups
said their kids didn’t gamble
All of their kids, who were in
their own focus groups, said they
did gamble
Neither sees gambling as risky

61. By the gambling treatment, 2012:
Oregonians in
32k
$
IS THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
Range is from $0 to over $1million/year.
85% ARE WHITE
. 4.4% Hispanic/Latino., 3.4% Asian.
People of color are under-represented in treatment.
90%
prefer ELECTRONIC GAMBLING.
24%
HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES TO FINANCE
THEIR GAMBLING. Most crimes are “white collar”
Video (slots/poker/line games).
Cards 4.1%; scratch-its 1.3%; sports 0.9%;
(forgery, check fraud, embezzlement.)
$!
27k
$
IS THE AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL GAMBLING
DEBT.

62. Why?
Is it the
generation?
Technology?
Or what?
5.6% college age (18-24)
4% teens (13-17)
2½ % all adults (18+)
This is the first generation of widely
available electronic gambling.
We really don’t know the effects yet.

63. RISK FACTORS FOR YOUTH
• Single-parent household
• Gambling on
• Started gambling before
cards/sports
8th grade (early
initiation)
• Being male, older teen
• Parents who gamble
• Lower household
income
• Competitive
• Having lost more than
$50 in a single month
Source: Volberg, et al (2008; bid).

64. 2012 Oregon Student
Wellness Survey (SWS)
2012 Gambling, Substance Use and Mental Health
among Oregon Youth
50%
Percentage
40%
6th
30%
11th
20%
10%
0%
Gambling Alcohol
Binge Marijuana Cigarettes Depression Psych
Alcohol
distress
Source: http://oregon.pridesurveys.com/esds.php?year=2011
n=55,611 students (18,885 6th grade; 21,368 8th grade; 15,358 11th grade)
8th

65. Used alcohol in the past
month
Did not gamble
Gambled
46.9%
30.9%
14.9%
29.5%
14.6%
3.1%
Grade 6
Grade 8
Grade 11

66. Binge drank in the last
month
Did not gamble
Gambled
28.7%
16.4%
12.7%
4.3%
5.6%
0.5%
Grade 6
Grade 8
Available at: www.preventionlane.org/sws.htm
Grade 11

67. Smoked cigarettes in the
past month
Did not gamble
Gambled
18.7%
10.8%
5.1%
12.5%
6.2%
1.1%
Grade 6
Grade 8
Available at: www.preventionlane.org/sws.htm
Grade 11

68. Used marijuana in the
past month
Did not gamble
Gambled
28.4%
19.3%
15.8%
8.3%
4.3%
0.7%
Grade 6
Grade 8
Available at: www.preventionlane.org/sws.htm
Grade 11

69. Skipped school one or more
days in the past month
Did not gamble
Gambled
35.4%
23.0%
15.4%
22.5%
12.8%
5.7%
Grade 6
Grade 8
Available at: www.preventionlane.org/sws.htm
Grade 11

70. Attempted suicide in the
past year
Did not gamble
Gambled
11.3%
9.0%
7.2%
5.0%
Grade 8
Available at: www.preventionlane.org/sws.htm
Grade 11

71. Attempted suicide in the
past year
Did not bet/gamble more than wanted to
Bet/gambled more than wanted to
21.0%
18.6%
10.1%
8.0%
Grade 8
Grade 11

72. Delinquency (physical fight in
last month)
Gambled
Did not gamble
41.80%
22.40%
Physical fight

73. CONCLUSION?
Teens who gamble are
smoked up, toked up,
drunk emo delinquents.

74. CONCLUSION?
Teens who gamble are
smoked up, toked up,
drunk emo delinquents.

75. What do the data tell us
about risk & youth
gambling? How would you
interpret the data?

76. Conclusion: Problem Gambling
is ONE COMPONENT of
Problem Behaviors
delinquency
sexual
behavior
Problem
Behaviors depression
gambling
substance
use

77. SO NOW WHAT?
PREVENTION in action

79. Crashed cars
“Scared straight”
Boot camp
One-time activities

81.  Public awareness
 Policy
 Support for in-school
prevention curriculum
 Parent education

82. 2012 Oregon Student Wellness Survey, Lane County (“Esd”) and Oregon;
available at http://oregon.pridesurveys.com/esds.php?year=2011

83. Most parents believe:
 Youth gambling is harmless
 Youth who gamble are unlikely to have
problems in school
 Youth gambling is not associated with
alcohol or drug use
…and those beliefs are part of the
problem

84.  Awareness
campaigns
 Integration with
other parent
programming
 Policy efforts

85.  Focused, small,
local
 Policy & awareness
 Professionals &
community
members

87. ON THE
RIGHT PATH

88.  Youthful subject
 Perception of
harmlessness
 Stigma/shame
 Industry

89. Future Considerations….
The new
blur of
“gaming” &
“gambling”

91. preventionlane.org
facebook.com/
preventionlane
twitter.com/
preventionlane
Julie.Hynes@co.lane.or.us