Ads promoting sports gambling are more common and contribute to a surge in gambling among teens and young adults, experts say. (Photo by Spencer Barnes/Cronkite News)

PHOENIX – 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.”