Further Evidence Concerning the Prevalence of Adolescent Gambling and Problem Gambling in Australia: A Study of the ACT

Abstract

This paper summarises the results of a cross-sectional study of 926 young people (years 7–12, age 11–19) attending State, independent and Catholic schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The aim of the study was to describe the prevalence of gambling and problem gambling among ACT adolescents and to obtain insights into the social context in which gambling was occurring. Survey results showed that 70% of adolescents had gambled in the previous 12 months and 10% at least weekly. Approximately 4% of adolescents could be described as problem gamblers based upon the DSM-IV-J classification with males and young people from indigenous backgrounds found to be more significantly affected. Most adolescent gambling in the ACT was undertaken either privately or conjunction with others (usually parents or peers), suggesting that existing regulatory provisions are working well. However, the paper nonetheless suggests the need for tighter controls over access to lottery products, greater consumer information in schools to educate young people about the risks of gambling, as well as additional ethnographic research to obtain further insights into how young people gain access to gambling opportunities.