College students at higher risk of gambling addiction than adults

College students at higher risk of gambling addiction than adults Researchers say gambling can have dangerous financial, psychological consequences By Darin Moriki News Reporter "Mike" loves to play competitive poker and considers it "to be the best game ever." In fact, the 20-year-old Lane Community College student said he gambles several times each month at a local downtown poker hall for three to five hours at a time. "I would like to do it more frequently if I had more money," Mike said. "Sometimes I set a limit, but sometimes I get out of hand and risk more than I should. I think you do have to risk a lot to win a lot. I think that if you play hesitantly, you won't be able to win as much as you want." While Mike is a part of the approximately 75 percent of college students who gambled legally or illegally during the last year — spending their money on casino games, lottery, cards and sports betting — some researchers have warned gambling can develop into a habitual activity with potentially destructive financial and psychological consequences. "While the vast amount of those old enough to legally gamble can do so responsibly, the most recent research estimates that 6 percent of college students in the United States have a serious gambling problem that can result in psychological difficulties, unmanageable debt and failing grades," said Glenn Christenson, chairman of the National Center for Responsible Gambling. "For those who are not of legal age to gamble, there's no level of responsible gambling." The types of gambling that college-aged students commonly engaged in most frequently ranged in order from lottery, card games, small stakes gambling, sports gambling, casino games and Internet gambling, according to a National Center for Responsible Gambling study conducted last year. Despite the sense of enjoyment and fun associated with gambling, Oregon State University Associate Director for Health Promotion Patricia Ketcham said it can quickly turn destructive. "Perception doesn't match reality in all cases because research has shown that, for a segment of college students, gambling for fun can turn into a serious preoccupation that adversely affects their lives," Ketcham said. "Gambling is certainly one of those things where students can find themselves and their chance for academic and student success somewhat impinged." Though colleges nationwide have aggressively responded to other types of addiction issues — including those associated with tobacco and alcohol use by creating intervention programs and enforcing strict policies on substance use — Christenson said 22 percent of colleges have formal policies on gambling. To address this, the National Center for Responsible Gambling recently opened CollegeGambling.org, a website aimed at educators, parents and students to provide awareness on problem gambling but also offers resources for people looking to kick the habit. Though problem gambling rates have remained relatively stable over the past several years, some researchers say there is still a cause for concern. "Six percent is a lot of people, and for those people that have the disorder, it can be quite devastating in terms of psychological problems, debt and their ability to maintain stability in school," said Christine Reilly, the National Center for Responsible Gambling's senior research director. "Even though we may not have had a sharp increase in the problem over the years ... they deserve the same attention that you would give for any risky disorder that may be wreaking havoc in people's lives." In addition, Ketcham said gambling addictions not only have immediate effects, but have long-term effects that can extend to those emotionally close to problem gamblers. "For those 6 percent, they certainly place themselves at risk for incurring a large debt, which not only compromises their ability to stay in school but their ability to maintain some sort of success afterward, even after they leave the school system," Ketcham said. "While 6 percent may seem small to some, for those that are affected, the impact can be quite devastating not only for themselves but those people that are close to them." In a sharp comparison to their younger counterparts, the National Center for Responsible Gambling estimates gambling addictions only affect about 1 percent of the adult population. To account for this disparity, Reilly said many adults mature out of gambling as they grow older. "Young people are at a higher risk for a whole range of risky behaviors, including alcohol, tobacco and drug use," Reilly said. "People at that age are more impulsive and are more apt to take risks, so it has a lot to do with age. Just as people who drink excessively tend to drink less as they get older, you're going to find that kids who gamble excessively are probably, for the most part, mature out of it over time, unless they have a serious problem." Among the many warning signs commonly associated with problem gambling, Reilly said it is important to pay attention to those who need to gamble more frequently to achieve some form of happiness; the need to wager more money in hopes of recouping those losses. Another sign is an increased preoccupation with gambling at the expense of time spent on schoolwork and with family and friends. "For me, I like to take risks and it's a thrill to win money," Mike said. "It's a very satisfying feeling to (be) winning a big hand or a big pot of money." Although Mike doesn't believe that he has a gambling problem, he said the large cash rewards are appealing but also said some concepts learned while playing cards can be applied beyond the poker table. "I think poker can teach you a lot about life, like knowing how to make the right decisions," Mike said.