Rutgers study finds 43% of US teens gambled in past year

Nearly half of US adolescents gambled in past year

Researchers at the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University estimate that nearly 43% of U.S. children aged 13 to 17 have gambled within the past year, according to a new study.

The study is the first national benchmark study in two decades regarding gambling participation among minors, according to the researchers. Rutgers researchers surveyed 1,677 U.S. adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 27.

More than half (52.5%) of the sample reported some form of gambling participation in the past year, the study found.

High rates of problem gambling among participants

Among those who risked money, almost 40% expressed some level of problem gambling, according to the report. Additionally, 10.3% of those who risked money met the criteria for high-risk problem gambling, indicating substantial gambling-related problems.

Lia Nower, director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers, led the study. The centre was founded in 2007 and researches gambling-related issues and policies.

Household factors linked to higher risk

Individuals who perceived a household gambling problem were more than five times as likely to be high-risk problem gamblers, according to the report.

Income levels also showed a correlation with problem gambling risk. Nearly 30% of those who gambled from households earning less than $10,000 annually were classified as high risk for problems. Among those from households earning $10,000 to under $20,000, 22.8% were classified as high risk for problems.