Teen-agers from homes where problem gambling or substance abuse occur are also more likely to have problems, she said. In Connecticut, lottery vending machines are a top concern especially with 32 percent of teens surveyed admitting to buying tickets. We need to recognize that underage access to lottery machines is also a serious concern. Aided by wide public support for gaming such as multimillion-dollar lottery jackpot and Indian reservation casinos, more and more adolescents are placing bets on everything from professional basketball teams to local high school sporting matches, playing small poker games and scratching off legally obtained lottery tickets. This is also the first general social approval of gambling.
Most kids realize that gambling is a losing endeavor.
But there is a minority that think they can win, and that's the group we're concerned about. And treatment for gambling addiction is often aimed solely at adults. At the same time, public support for gambling is growing. Advertisements are common. Gambling over the internet is a burgeoning business.