More than 40% of American teens ages 13 to 17 say they’ve gambled in the past year, according to a survey published Wednesday, raising red flags about the popularity of betting among minors.Researchers from Rutgers University’s Center for Gambling Studies surveyed nearly 1,700 Americans between 13 and 27, and found that 52.5% of the respondents said they had gambled.Among those 17 and under — for whom gambling is illegal — the share was nearly 43%.
“We are living in a time where anyone can have a casino or sports book in their pocket,” said Lia Nower, the director of the Rutgers center and lead author of the new report.“Now teens who should be playing sports are betting on them, often with family members.”Nower and her colleagues conducted the survey over the spring and early summer, describing the effort as the first national gambling prevalence study of U.S.
adolescents and young adults in nearly 20 years.The report does not offer a comparison to past gambling trends, so it is difficult to assess whether the results represent an increase.In an interview, Nower referenced a 2007 study in the Journal of Gambling Studies, which found that 68% of respondents between 14 and 21 had gambled in the past year.The numbers can’t be compared apples to apples, however, as the methodologies and age ranges differed.Still, the prevalence of problem gambling in the new report appears to be higher than in the 2007 study.For SubscribersFOR SUBSCRIBERSDark money group seeks to undercut Republican candidates with pro-gun votersFOR SUBSCRIBERSAmy Acton’s mom, who called her a ‘liar’ in Ramaswamy ad, faced years of turmoil, records showFOR SUBSCRIBERSFDA plans to update nutrition rules for infant formulaFOR SUBSCRIBERSCruise company had troubled history before abandoning passengers in CambodiaFOR SUBSCRIBERSHow French student protests over schools escalated into nationwide riotsFOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump says Alaska’s Democratic Senate candidate should be prosecu...