When Marc Lefkowitz was in his 20s, he struggled with a gambling
problem. Now, after nearly 40 years of abstaining from gambling, he
hopes to help today’s younger generation overcome their addiction the
same way he did.

“When I grew up, you were a degenerate if you gambled on a regular
basis,” said Lefkowitz, an internationally certified gambling counselor
with over 25 years of experience. “Now it’s so socially acceptable.”

Many factors can contribute to teen gambling. Stress relief is one
component of gambling’s appeal to the younger generation, according to
Lefkowitz. He also points to teens experiencing problems in school and,
most commonly, genetic issues, where addiction runs in a person’s
family.

Not only that but the development of a teen’s brain can steer young gamblers toward problematic behavior.

“The way teenagers’ brains develop, the accelerator develops before
the brakes,” Lefkowitz said. “It all makes sense. You want teenagers to
try new things, find out the consequences, good or bad, and then as they
grow up, as the brakes develop, they know what the consequences are.
For example, if you stick your hand in a fire, you learn not to do that
again.”

Teen and young adult gambling has been a growing area of concern over
the last couple of years. The Arizona Department of Gaming reports that
between four and five percent of youth ages 12-17 match one or more
criteria related to having a gambling problem. In addition, another 10
to 14 percent are considered by the department to be “at-risk” for
developing a gambling addiction, meaning that there are already warning
signs in place that their gambling has gotten out of control.

While some instances of problem gambling may be isolated, trends in
Arizona show that other behavioral problems may contribute to the rise
in youth gambling.

“What we’ve seen historically, and we’re seeing currently, is the
correlation between gambling and children participating in other risky
behaviors,” said Elise Mikkelsen, the director of the Division of
Problem Gambling for the Arizona Department of Gaming. “If they’re
gambling then they’re participating in other activities as well. Whether
it be underage drinking, drug use, truancy, bullying, we have noticed
those behaviors.”

Teens are two to four times more likely to develop a gambling problem
than adults, according to Algamus Recovery Services, a gambling
treatment facility. Part of that statistic is attributed to the
development of their brains, as Lefkowitz mentioned, but certain
psychological factors among specific groups of teens can put them at
increased risk for developing a gambling problem.

“I see a lot of narcissistic types, especially among the young
males,” Lefkowitz said. “Not necessarily a narcissistic personality
disorder, but they’re that type where they know everything. Probably one
of the most common groups is athletes … A lot is going on in high
schools among high school athletes. There’s a lot of peer pressure to
gamble, and it’s all done in secret. I get calls from parents all the
time, all over the country.

“We’re also seeing more people who have had a sports injury. I’m
working with a client now who’s an ex-football player, and you know in
high school, it’s a Friday night now and you’re not suiting up, you
think you know a lot about sports. But as we’re finding out, the games
are rigged. They’re not spending all that money on all those commercials
on TV because they’re losing money.”

Television ads for sports gambling have been on the rise since sports
betting has increased in legality across the country. Some gambling
counselors across Arizona believe the increase in advertising causes an
increase in gambling, especially with youth.

“I would say the legalization of sports betting has permitted the
proliferation of gambling advertising in Arizona,” said Robert
Daughenbaugh, a licensed independent addiction counselor at Embrace the
Change Counseling Services in Phoenix. “There are psychologists and
psychiatrists working for advertising firms who tailor their advertising
to reach certain niches of people, like the sports bettor. With our
teens and our youth, there are subtle messages in those ads.”

As increased gambling among the younger generation continues to grow,
many psychological effects begin to show. The consequences of excessive
gambling at a young age can have long-lasting effects, according to a
study from the National Institutes of Health. Results such as negative
mood swings, depression, anxiety and excessive financial liabilities are
known to take effect, among other consequential effects.

Despite warning signs about the consequences, Lefkowitz says the
efforts aren’t enough to overcome the profound popularity of gambling
among the younger generation.

“Gambling is the perfect way to self-medicate. … when they tell you
to gamble responsibly, it doesn’t take into consideration that someone’s
going to gamble while they’re depressed or while they’re anxious,”
Lefkowitz said.

“When they’re at the casino or behind a slot machine or playing
blackjack, they’re not feeling depressed, they’re not feeling anxious.
Unlike drugs or alcohol, gambling has no saturation point, so you could
be out there forever or until the money runs out.”

Lefkowitz urges all teens and young adults struggling with a gambling
disorder to seek treatment sooner rather than later because if they
wait too long, it might be too late.

“There’s two levels of problem gambling: a problem, which is solvable
and happens early on before any brain chemistry changes, then there’s
the disorder which is much more severe.

“The way I like to say it, at the problem stage you’re still a
cucumber. Once you cross that line into disorder, you become a pickle
and you can’t be a cucumber anymore.”