Gambling — especially poker — is on the rise among teens and pre-teens, according to gambling addiction experts and psychiatrists, who cite a mountain of anecdotal evidence and research on the phenomenon. The trend can be attributed to a growing acceptance of gambling in American culture, an increase in accessibility because of the Internet and more betting shows on TV.

“Gambling is a much more pervasive part of our society than it used to be,” said J. Michael Faragher, the director of training and development at the University of Denver Problem Gambling Treatment and Research Center. “Kids pick right up on that. They pick up on the excitement, too.

Disease and Addiction

Because the path of addiction is well trodden, experts worry that it’s only a matter of time before teen gambling addiction becomes an epidemic. Faragher said kids are three times as likely as adults to get hooked on a bad habit, meaning up to 12 percent of children and teens who gamble will probably become addicts.

“Kids are more susceptible,” said Faragher. “They don’t seem to have the kind of control and brain executive functions adults have.”

Certainly, as medical science has come to understand addiction as not just a social problem but a medical disease, research has provided some insight into possible biological and genetic factors that may contribute to gambling addiction.

A 2004 Yale University School of Medicine study on psychological factors associated with teen gambling provides some answers about which children might be predisposed to gambling dependency.

The Yale researchers found that adolescent gamblers were more likely to report depression and drug and alcohol use or dependence than non-gamblers.

Why Do Teens Gamble?

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