Issue 1
How Kids Can First Get Hooked on Gambling by Amanda H., Junior Editor, age 14 (First published in the September 1998 issue of Wanna Bet? Magazine) Even if gambling isn’t introduced at home, arcades can be a way for kids to get hooked on gambling. Think about a casino and then think about an arcade - they are almost the same. In both arcades and casinos, you are playing a game of chance and trying to win something, and you often have to keep trying over and over again in order to do so. Both types of gambling try to get people to play by having lights blinking and noises blaring. They try to make it look as fun as possible. In an arcade, you get tokens or tickets to trade in for prizes. Casinos also use chips that people trade in for money. In both, the prizes seem almost impossible to win. Arcades try to get kids to keep playing by offering big prizes, such as motorcycles, jet skis, and nintendos. Your chances of winning these big prizes are similar to your chances of winning the lottery - next to none. To win a motorcycle at a local arcade, you have to accumulate 800,000 points; your chance of winning the lottery is 1 in 80,000,000. As you can see, the odds are not in your favor that you are going to win. There are other activities like sticker machines, toy house machines, and even $.25 machines at the front of most supermarkets and shops that could be considered gambling and could get kids hooked on them. At these machines, kids take a chance to get a sticker or a toy, or they use a claw to get stuffed animals or other toys. These types of machines do not appear to lure kids into gambling, but they want you to try and get the toy you want. The catch is if you can’t get the one you want on the first try, or if you don’t get one at all, you may keep trying over and over again. Another way kids can get started on gambling is by playing hand-held machines such as poker, blackjack, slots or bingo games. Theses games are similar to the real gambling games or the video games at casinos that adults play. All of these games and activities introduce kids to the world of gambling. Kids think "If I can win at this game, of course I’ll be good at other types of gambling." Kids might think it is fun and exciting and suddenly they may be too far into it. Then, it’s not a game anymore. They might not be able to stop. Gambling involves taking a chance by betting money or personal possessions, whether in arcades, playing cards with friends on the weekend, betting on sporting events, or playing at the casino. Taking a chance is exactly what you are doing even if you don’t realize it. Arcades and other types of gambling games are not bad for most kids and most are able to play without having any problems. Arcades and these other types of games are a form of recreation and entertainment that many kids think of as fun and exciting places to go. However, remember these games and activities could cause problems for some kids including losing a lot of money, having problems in school, or problems with friends and family. If you think you have a problem with gambling, talk to a friend or an adult you can trust about the problem. Attention Readers: These are the opinions of the Junior Editor. Send your thoughts on this topic to wannabet@wannabet.org ! Educator’s Note: For further details and research on this topic, see the following books and articles: Fisher, S. (1993). Gambling and pathological gambling in adolescents. Journal of Gambling Studies, 9, 277-288. Fisher, S., & Bellringer, P. (Date unknown). The young fruit machine player. London: UK Forum on Young People & Gambling. Graham, J. (1988). Amusement machines dependency and delinquency. Home Office Research Study 101. London: HMSO. Griffiths, M. (1990). Addiction to fruit machines: A preliminary study among young males. Journal of Gambling Studies, 6, 113-126. Griffiths, M. (1993). Fruit machine addiction in adolescence: A case study. Journal of Gambling Studies, 9, 387-399. Griffiths, J. M. (1991). Adolescent fruit machine use: A review of current issues and trends. UK Forum on Young People & Gambling Newsletter, 4, 2-3. Gupta, R., Derevensky, J. L., & Della Cioppa, G. (1994, June). The relationships between gambling and video-game playing behavior in children. Paper presented at the Ninth International Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking. Las Vegas, NV. ©1998, MCCG, NATI. Not to be reproduced for commercial use.
How Kids Can First Get Hooked on Gambling by Amanda H., Junior Editor, age 14 (First published in the September 1998 issue of Wanna Bet? Magazine)
Even if gambling isn’t introduced at home, arcades can be a way for kids to get hooked on gambling. Think about a casino and then think about an arcade - they are almost the same. In both arcades and casinos, you are playing a game of chance and trying to win something, and you often have to keep trying over and over again in order to do so. Both types of gambling try to get people to play by having lights blinking and noises blaring. They try to make it look as fun as possible. In an arcade, you get tokens or tickets to trade in for prizes. Casinos also use chips that people trade in for money. In both, the prizes seem almost impossible to win. Arcades try to get kids to keep playing by offering big prizes, such as motorcycles, jet skis, and nintendos. Your chances of winning these big prizes are similar to your chances of winning the lottery - next to none. To win a motorcycle at a local arcade, you have to accumulate 800,000 points; your chance of winning the lottery is 1 in 80,000,000. As you can see, the odds are not in your favor that you are going to win.
There are other activities like sticker machines, toy house machines, and even $.25 machines at the front of most supermarkets and shops that could be considered gambling and could get kids hooked on them. At these machines, kids take a chance to get a sticker or a toy, or they use a claw to get stuffed animals or other toys. These types of machines do not appear to lure kids into gambling, but they want you to try and get the toy you want. The catch is if you can’t get the one you want on the first try, or if you don’t get one at all, you may keep trying over and over again.
Another way kids can get started on gambling is by playing hand-held machines such as poker, blackjack, slots or bingo games. Theses games are similar to the real gambling games or the video games at casinos that adults play. All of these games and activities introduce kids to the world of gambling. Kids think "If I can win at this game, of course I’ll be good at other types of gambling." Kids might think it is fun and exciting and suddenly they may be too far into it. Then, it’s not a game anymore. They might not be able to stop.
Gambling involves taking a chance by betting money or personal possessions, whether in arcades, playing cards with friends on the weekend, betting on sporting events, or playing at the casino. Taking a chance is exactly what you are doing even if you don’t realize it. Arcades and other types of gambling games are not bad for most kids and most are able to play without having any problems. Arcades and these other types of games are a form of recreation and entertainment that many kids think of as fun and exciting places to go. However, remember these games and activities could cause problems for some kids including losing a lot of money, having problems in school, or problems with friends and family. If you think you have a problem with gambling, talk to a friend or an adult you can trust about the problem.
Attention Readers: These are the opinions of the Junior Editor. Send your thoughts on this topic to wannabet@wannabet.org !
Educator’s Note: For further details and research on this topic, see the following books and articles:
Fisher, S. (1993). Gambling and pathological gambling in adolescents. Journal of Gambling Studies, 9, 277-288.
Fisher, S., & Bellringer, P. (Date unknown). The young fruit machine player. London: UK Forum on Young People & Gambling.
Graham, J. (1988). Amusement machines dependency and delinquency. Home Office Research Study 101. London: HMSO.
Griffiths, M. (1990). Addiction to fruit machines: A preliminary study among young males. Journal of Gambling Studies, 6, 113-126.
Griffiths, M. (1993). Fruit machine addiction in adolescence: A case study. Journal of Gambling Studies, 9, 387-399.
Griffiths, J. M. (1991). Adolescent fruit machine use: A review of current issues and trends. UK Forum on Young People & Gambling Newsletter, 4, 2-3.
Gupta, R., Derevensky, J. L., & Della Cioppa, G. (1994, June). The relationships between gambling and video-game playing behavior in children. Paper presented at the Ninth International Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking. Las Vegas, NV.
©1998, MCCG, NATI. Not to be reproduced for commercial use.
