Gambling Addiction and Canadian Youth

Gambling addiction is not just restricted to the adult population and it is not just a problem that Canada has to deal with. Unfortunately, there are youth in Canada that have become addicted to gambling.

This has always been an ongoing concern of some focus groups who have advocated for stricter gambling laws and for restricting gambling operations throughout the many provinces of Canada. Gambling addiction in youth is becoming recognized as a problem that has to be dealt with and in order to do this, it means taking a look at what environment is existing that is allowing this to happen.

This has led to the belief that the two major causes of this problem is the legalization of gambling and the way that society now looks at gambling. In the past, this was an activity that was frowned upon and generally considered unacceptable. Now in Canada, it has become more socially acceptable as a means of entertainment. With this acceptance, it has allowed for more gambling institutions to open giving easier access to the youth.

There are age restrictions regarding who can gamble in Canada. For those that want to play Bingo which comes into the gambling category, the age to be able to do is eighteen. For those that want to buy lottery tickets or frequent casinos, the age is nineteen.

There have been risk factors that have been considered as contributors to gambling addiction, which includes…

  • Not performing well academically
  • This addiction is more prevalent in males
  • Youth who suffer from depression may be at greater risk
  • Poor family environment
  • A list of Canadian Online casinos can be found at CasinoGuides.ca
  • Alos check out ResponsibleGambling.org

And the list goes on. Preventative measures are being looked at by perhaps having society recognize the potential dangers of this form of activity. If parents take on the attitude of not promoting it as being acceptable this may help ward off youth from partaking in this activity in the future.

Preventing Gambling Addiction

If you think that you need help to prevent gambling addiction, we can help you here at Rainbow Youth. 

Everyone can enjoy gambling without becoming addicted. But being addicted to gambling can be difficult since it can ruin your life. Gambling addiction is a problem that can evolve. It can lead people to lie, steal, cheat, waste all their money, and forget that they have a life. 

Everyone can be a gambling addict if they don’t plan their game plan well. That’s why you need to plan and be in the right mindset every time you play to overcome gambling addiction. 

Here at Rainbow Youth, we want to help you manage yourself and continue your life without a problem. That’s why we’ll discuss the effects of gambling and some tips on how to prevent addiction.

Factors 

Different factors affect and contribute to a person’s gambling addiction. This list is not exhaustive. Please take note that the more factors that apply, the more likely a person is to develop a gambling problem. 

  • Winning a big amount of money early
  • An easier way of accessing different forms of gambling
  • Wrong information about the odds of winning work
  • Not monitoring their cash flow
  • Depression or other mental illness 
  • Loneliness
  • Financial problems
  • Doesn’t have a direction in life 
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Family problems 
  • Alcohol or substance problems 
  • Too much self-esteem

Effects

Gambling addiction can have different results for every person. It can affect your family, friends, and even work. We listed some of the different effects that gambling addiction can happen on you. 

  • Having less time or money to spend on recreation and family
  • Bankrupt 
  • Alcoholism
  • Feelings of remorse
  • Relationship conflict
  • Negative performance in work or at school 
  • Anger management issues
  • Heighten depression 

Tips

We know that there are a lot of ways to cure gambling addiction. But going to therapy can cost you a lot. It’s easier to stop the problem if you tried to prevent it in the first place. That‘s why you need to learn these tips to prevent being addicted to gambling. 

Play for entertainment

Don’t chase your losses when you gamble, you must be ready to lose if you gamble. You only need to play for your entertainment like when you want to try something new. You must come to a point where you realize that you need to quit. 

Set a time and money limit

If you’re a frequent visitor of casinos and different gambling establishments, you must have your limit. You only need to bring cash and you don’t need your ATM or credit card since you might lose. You also need to set a time limit when gambling like 2 or 3 hours a week to control your habit. 

Understand how the games work

You need to understand the game properly so you can play it right. Always remember that the house always wins. 

We hope that you learn a lot about gambling addiction by reading this article. Please feel free to browse around our website to learn more about Rainbow Youth and our different programs.