Gambling among Teenagers in Bjelovar-Bilogora County (Croatia)

IntroductionGambling is one of the mankind's oldest activities for fun. The term gambling refers to investing something valuable into an event with uncertain outcome for the chance of winning money or prizes. Main characteristics of gambling are taking a risk and uncertainty of outcome [1]. Today we are witnessing the explosion of legal gambling, more and more casinos, lottery and betting shops are opening every day. According to the Croatian law, gambling games are divided into four main groups: Lottery tickets, casino games, betting games and slot machines [2]. The law clearly defines 18 years as the age limit for gambling. It prohibits anyone under the age of 18 to enter the casino, to gamble at casinos or at any other gambling or betting facilities, and requires staff to check ID to any participants. The conviction for breaking any of aforementioned law propositions is a fine between 50.000,00 and 500.000,00 kunas. [3]. Nevertheless, despite the 18 year age limit, gambling opportunities are widely and easily accessible and also available for high school students. Poverty and economic crisis also contributes to spreading of gambling and thoughts of earning some easy money, but it can lead to a harmful addiction with gambling. The previous research has shown that problem gambling is a constellation of more connected issues such as risk behaviours, alcohol and substance abuse. The consequences of problem gambling are as harmful as substance abuse, and by the epidemiological trends we are witnessing, one is to expect a rise in problem gambling if no successful prevention actions take place in near future [4-6]. The research on gambling in Croatia is still limited, and there are only few studies conducted among children and adolescents. The study among adolescents revealed that 83% of them have gambled at least once in their lives; 19.0% of them gambled on sports events at least once in a week, on the internet (22.8%) and on slot machines (6.2%). Their reasons for taking part in gambling are money, fun with friends, and close friend who gambles as well. One third of children report that their parents are aware of their gambling activities, and 20-30% of them also gamble, especially fathers. Vocational high school students are more likely to gamble than students from general high schools [7]. Study by Koic et al conducted among the last year high school students showed that 38.5% of boys and 11.7% girls gamble, boys mostly at betting shops (42%), girls at Bingo (33%). Vocational school students gamble the most, and medical high school students the least. Students think of gambling as a way to have a good time (28.2% boys and 15.5% girls). Large number of students (68%) knows a person with a gambling problem, and almost all (97%) of the students know about gambling addiction. They (22% girls and 38% boys) also think they have enough information on problem gambling, and even more of them (62.9%) think they do not need additional education about gambling problems [8]. Other research among high school students report that 75% of the students have gambled at least once in their lives; mosdy on sports events and lottery. Almost half of them who gamble (47.1%) bet on sports events and 38.5% of them do it few times a week. Internet gambling is done by fewer students (7.7%) but half of those who do it, do it every day (53%). They found that men are more likely to develop gambling problems, but did not found that any specific type of high school (general vs vocational high school) was related to gambling rates [9]. Results from the ESPAD study done in Croatia among youth of 16 years of age show that 61% of boys and 89% of girls that age never played on slot machines, 8.6% of them do it at least once a week, and 4.4% of boys do it almost daily [10]. Pilot study conducted among older adolescents, university students in Zadar show that 7.1% of university students bet on sport events, 11.5% have a partner who gambles, and 12. …