A new Rutgers survey of 1,677 Americans from last year shows that many gamblers are younger than most people expect.

• 52.5 percent of those ages 13 to 27 said they gambled.
• 42.7 percent of those ages 13 to 17 said they gambled—despite it being illegal at that age.

Among everyone who gambled, nearly 40 percent showed warning signs of what is called “problem gambling,” and 10.3 percent were high-risk, meaning their gambling looked like addiction according to psychiatrists’ standards. About 11 percent of the teen gamblers fell into that high-risk group. Boys and girls had similar rates of gambling addiction.

• Family habits made a big difference. Among high-risk teens, 75.5 percent had a family member who gambled, 61.2 percent had gambled with a family member, and 66.3 percent thought someone in their home had a gambling problem.
• Black and Hispanic teens, and those from lower-income homes, also showed higher rates of serious problems.

“Anyone can have a casino in their pocket,” lead researcher Lia Nower said, calling the survey results a wake-up call. Experts recommend teaching kids about the risks starting in middle school, tighter rules on new gambling-style products and more national support for prevention and treatment.

The strongest protection teens and adults need for safeguarding their minds from vices like gambling comes from understanding and submitting to the guidance of the Holy Bible.

• Proverbs 13:11 says, “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.”
• Easy money through gambling often vanishes as quickly as it comes, leaving young people with debt, anxiety and regret instead of real progress. Steady work is what builds lasting wealth.

To learn about the origin of gambling and why this seemingly harmless habit is so destructive, read “No Gambling Allowed.”