NEWS FROM

THE NEW YORK COUNCIL

ON PROBLEM GAMBLING                            IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mariangela Milea 518/427-1622                                    April 2, 2007

e-mail: mmilea@nyproblemgambling.org

NEW YORK COUNCIL ON PROBLEM GAMBLING RELEASES RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF OASAS UNDERAGE GAMBLING SURVEY

20 percent of youth in NYS are at risk for having a gambling problem;

10 percent may need treatment

The New York Council on Problem Gambling issues a statement regarding results of the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) survey of students in grades 7-12.  Based on these survey results, a total of 20 percent of students in grades 7-12 are currently at risk for developing a gambling problem and 10 percent of these youth may need treatment for a gambling problem. 

Males surveyed were nearly twice as likely as females to have gambled within the past 30 days. The survey also indicates that, of those students in grades 7-12 identified with a substance abuse problem, almost half (42%) also had a gambling problem.

James Maney, New York Council on Problem Gambling Executive Director said, “While the emergence of these numbers uncover an epidemic among New York’s youth, the Council believes that collaboration will be the key factor in addressing this issue.  To this end, we look forward to working with our partners at OASAS in the coming weeks and months to further New York’s problem gambling prevention efforts in our schools, while implementing a comprehensive plan to deal with this issue head on.” 

            During March of last year, the New York Council on Problem Gambling released its own findings and recommendations regarding Adolescent Gambling in New York.

NEW YORK COUNCIL ON PROBLEM GAMBLING RECOMMENDATIONS

(These recommendations are the sole opinion of the New York Council on Problem Gambling and do not reflect the opinions of the participants who attended the Adolescent Gambling Symposium)

• Establish an Adolescent Gambling Task Force.

• Develop and implement a school based problem gambling curriculum from grade school through high school in cooperation with the State Department of Education.

• Develop a statewide public awareness media campaign that increases the awareness of adolescent problem gambling.

• Provide education, training and resources for Student Assistants Counselors, Guidance Counselors, Teachers, Coaches, PTAs and Administrators to learn more about adolescent gambling and its impacts as well as how to screen for gambling problems and when and where to refer adolescent problem gamblers for help.

• Increase funding opportunities for research to properly identify and address the needs of adolescents and problem gambling in New York.

• Encourage the Media to balance their reporting.

• Post Warning signs and Helpline number (1-800-437-1611) wherever gambling is permitted. Since the legal gambling age in New York State is 18, all gambling operations must play an active role in opposing underage gambling by ensuring that adolescents are not placing bets and/or gaining access to gambling on the premises. It would also be helpful to increase existing efforts to disseminate the Council’s Helpline number. (e.g. placing the Helpline Number (1-800-437-1611) in all phonebooks throughout the state)

• Enforcement of underage gambling laws.

• Enactment of a dedicated New York State revenue source for the express purpose of providing comprehensive treatment and prevention programs designed to address problem and pathological gambling.

“Awareness of the problem of adolescent gambling and more education and prevention resources are needed to address this public health crisis,” said Maney. “At least, it needs to be given the time and attention that adolescent drug and alcohol abuse receives.

“As OASAS has discovered, when you talk to students about sports betting, Texas Hold’em Poker, Internet gambling, lottery and bookies, you will be surprised by what they know, what they are willing to tell you, how much they are doing it and how oblivious they are to the negative consequences and progression of problem gambling.

“I urge OASAS and the state’s lawmakers to pickup the torch and champion this very important public health problem.  The dramatic increase of adolescents having gambling problems commands action. Prevention, education and treatment have been proven to work. Over the years, adolescent gambling in New York has escalated to a level of concern and if not addressed will worsen over time,” concluded Maney. 

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