Gambling is an activity a number of college students see as asource of fun and entertainment. However, it can sometimes lead toan addiction that comes with harmful side effects.
"Most people start some form of gambling when they are 10 or 11years old ... for example, flipping baseball cards," said ChrisArmentano, Director of the Institute for Problem Gambling."Competitive gambling is a different story. The first type of thisbegins in the teenage years with buying some type of lotteryproduct."
In the last 10 years, the gambling landscape has dramaticallychanged, Armentano said. Some of the reasons for the change includethe addition of online gambling, the more glamorous atmosphere ofcasinos and the idea that gambling is a rite of passage for somecollege students.
"Eighty-five percent of college students have reported gamblingat some point in their lives, with most of them participating belowa legal age," said James Whelan, a psychology professor at TheUniversity of Memphis. "Nine percent of these students reportedgambling in a way that caused significant problems."
Gambling is not as popular with women as it is with men, but ifwomen do choose to try gambling, most experiment with slotmachines, Armentano said.
"Our data shows that about 50 percent of college-age womenregularly gamble, while 74 percent of male college studentsgamble," Whelan said.
Consequences of gambling addiction can range from problems assmall as low self-esteem to those as serious as contemplatingsuicide. Financial issues are the most common problems that plaguethose addicted to gambling, Whelan said.
"Suicide is one of the most serious problems that can arise fromgambling," said Armentano. "The typical consequences, though, aredebt, depression, feeling out of control in some aspect of yourlife, lying to your family and borrowing money from people."
Brandon Gravley, a U of M sophomore political science major,said he enjoys gambling to a degree but thinks it can become anissue for some people.
"Gambling turns into a problem when you start spending money youdon't need to spend," he said. "It's not a good idea to go down tothe casinos with your rent money and try to double it."
Gamblers Anonymous, a self-help organization that focuses onformer gamblers supporting each other throughout their recovery, isthe most common type of treatment for those with gambling problems,Armentano said.
"Most of the treatment for gamblers is similar to otheraddictions, with the exception of detox," he said. "Problemgamblers must develop a motivation to reduce their habits and finddifferent alternatives for relaxation."
