Transcript No Slide Title

Underage Gambling & Youth Court
November 14, 2009
Rhonda Stone
Community Education Coordinator
Mission:
The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling
is dedicated to increasing public awareness of
problem gambling, expanding the availability of
services for problem gamblers and their families,
and encouraging research and programs for
prevention and education.
Key Purposes:

Treatment

Training

Awareness/Prevention/Education

Research

Advocacy
Teens & Gambling

Individuals who start gambling by
age 12 are four times more likely to
develop a gambling problem

On the 2008 Healthy Youth Survey,
3% of High School Seniors
acknowledged PG symptoms

8.4% of Washington teens gamble
frequently enough to be at risk for
developing a gambling problem
What is
TEEN GAMBLING?
To teens, it is just a game
or
a way to have fun—many don’t even realize they
are gambling
What is
TEEN GAMBLING?
To parents, views vary
Gambling is a personal choice.
Legal for individuals age 18 or older (21
where alcohol is served), research in
Washington State and the U.S. has shown
that 96-98% of adults gamble without
developing a gambling problem
Consequences of
Problem Gambling:

Unreliability and lying

Loss of relationships

Debt


Money by any means:
Pursuit of gambling at
any cost (“chasing losses”)
borrowing, stealing, fraud

Stress and depression

Loss of interest in
school and/or job

Stress-related death and
suicide

Loss of job

Life-altering addiction
Visit www.evergreencpg.org for more information
New Studies Show Brain Effects
Similar to Substance Abuse
 Similar to Meth
“Pathological Gamblers Demonstrate Frontal
Lobe Impairment Consistent With That of
Methamphetamine-Dependent Individuals,”
Kalechstein, Fong, Rosenthal, Davis, Vanyo,
Newton (2007): Journal of Neuropsychiatry &
Neurosciences
 Similar to Cocaine
“Functional imaging of neural responses to
expectancy and experience of monetary gains
and losses,” Breiter, Aharon, Kahneman, Dale,
Shizgal (2001): Neuron, 30(2) 619-639
What can we do?

Provide info for teens and their parents

Help teens assess their own risk

Influence school and program policy

Use the new state penalties for teens
gambling in casinos and card rooms
New State Penalties
 $125 Fine
 Court costs potentially
doubling the fine
 Up to 4 hours of
community service
Source: Washington State Gambling Commission
Visit www.notazander.com for more information
Information Coming for:
 Law Enforcement
 Courts
 Teens
 Parents
 Schools
JOINT EFFORT:
WSGC & ECPG
“Not A Zander”
Campaign
www.notazander.com
Available 24/7
1.800.547.6133
Washington State’s
Problem Gambling Helpline
For More Information
Thank
you!
Rhonda Stone: 360.352.6133
[email protected]