Gambling is a wide spread activity, more so than most people think. If we consider all the ways we can gamble, it is quite amazing. Often we think gambling primarily happens at casinos and dog and horse tracks. However, there are card games everywhere where there is betting and that includes penny poker, dice or dominoes, office pools, raffles, playing the lottery, scratch-off tickets, bingo, flipping coins, putting money on a friendly match of golf, tennis, basketball, and bowling, trading sports cards, betting on your favorite team, even video or arcade games may be bet on. All these activities are considered gambling. While most people can play the games as listed above and never develop a serious problem, for others, which include college students, gambling can become a serious problem.

Often the behavior was started early on in life. The younger a person is when he/she starts to gamble the greater the risk of developing a serious gambling problem. Abuse of alcohol and drugs as well as tobacco use have a strong association with compulsive gambling. Teenagers report that on days that they gamble they also drink and smoke more. Currently, 2 million adults (1%) in the U.S. are estimated to meet criteria for pathological gambling in a given year. Another 4 million (2%) are considered problem gamblers and as many as 15 million adults are at risk of developing gambling related difficulties in the future. These numbers do not include the millions of Americans who are negatively affected by the gambler's behavior, such as family members, friends and other loved ones. Gambling can be just as devastating to an individual as alcoholism or drug addiction. Gambling can tear families apart, end friendships, destroy reputations, and ruin credit and finances. The notion that gambling is not physically harmful to a person is also false. In addition to leading to a series of various health problems, the repercussions of dealing with disgruntled bookies can also be very unhealthy.

Why do people gamble? Common reasons include excitement, entertainment, winning a quick buck, peer pressure, for a sense of power or control, or the hope of financial independence. Unfortunately, the rush from gambling can be as intense as a drug fix. As for the desire to achieve financial riches the house almost always wins. And when we say almost, we mean just about always. The gaming industry is rich for a reason; the odds are in the favor of the casinos and track owners. Bookies get into the business to make money, not to help you get rich.

College students tend to bet on sporting events and card games more than any other gambling activity. Online casinos and poker games are also becoming more and more popular. It is important to remember however, that betting on sporting events is illegal, except if you happen to be in certain establishments in Las Vegas. Internet gambling is also illegal, as are high stake poker games in private homes.

Think you may have a problem with gambling, check out the link below for a quick online self-assessment and press "Click here to take the test." http://www.gamblinghelp.org/sections/youth/index.html

Need to talk to someone about your or a friend's gambling problem?
Call the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling's 24-hour confidential Problem Gambling HelpLine at 1-888-ADMIT-IT (888-236-4848) or the FSU Student Counseling Center at 644-2003.

For more information on gambling, gambling addiction and recovery, as well as research and available resources, visit the links below:
www.gamblinghelp.org
www.ncpgambling.org
www.gamblersanonymous.org
www.gam-anon.org

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