By Breden Paul | 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 in the same way he did.

“When I was growing up, you were a degenerate if you gambled regularly,” said Lefkowitz, an internationally certified gambling counselor with more than 25 years of experience. “Now it’s so socially acceptable.”

Many factors can contribute to teenage gambling. Stress relief is part of gaming’s appeal to the younger generation, according to Lefkowitz. He also points to teenagers experiencing problems in school and, most often, genetic problems, where addiction runs in a person’s family.

Not only that, but the development of a teenage brain can steer young players toward problematic behavior.

“The way teenage brains develop, the gas pedal 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 when they grow up, when the brakes are developed, they know what the consequences are. For example, if you put your hand in a fire , you learn not to do it again.”

Gambling by teenagers and young adults has been a growing problem in recent 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 of the ward are considered “at risk” of developing a gambling addiction, meaning there are already warning signs that their gambling has gotten out of control.

While some cases of problem gambling may be isolated, trends in Arizona show that other behavioral problems may be contributing to the increase in youth gambling.

“What we’ve seen historically, and we’re seeing currently, is the connection between gambling and kids engaging in other risky behaviors,” said Elise Mikkelsen, director of the problem gambling division of the Arizona Department of Gaming. “If they’re playing, they’re engaging in other activities as well. Whether it’s underage drinking, drug use, truancy, bullying, we’ve noticed those behaviors.”

Teenagers are two to four times more likely to develop a gambling problem than adults, according to Algamus Recovery Services, a gambling treatment facility. Some of those statistics are attributed to the development of their brains, as Lefkowitz mentioned, but certain psychological factors among specific groups of teenagers may put them at increased risk of developing a gambling problem.

“I see a lot of narcissistic types, especially among the young men,” Lefkowitz said. “Not necessarily a narcissistic personality disorder, but they’re the type where they know everything. Probably one of the most common groups is athletes … There’s a lot going on in high school among high school athletes. There’s a lot of peer pressure to play, and it’s all done in secret. I get calls from parents all the time, all over the country.

– We also see more people who have had a sports injury. I’m working with a client now who’s a former football player, and you know in high school, it’s a Friday night now and you don’t fit in, you think you know a lot about sports. But as we find out, the games are rigged. They’re not spending all that money on all those commercials on TV because they’re losing money.”

TV ads for sports betting have increased as sports betting has increased in legality across the country. Some gambling advisors across Arizona believe the increase in advertising is causing an increase in gambling, especially among youth.

“I would say that the legalization of sports betting has allowed 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 who work for advertising companies who tailor their advertising to reach certain niches of people, like the sports player. With our teenagers and our youth, there are subtle messages in these ads.”

As increased gambling among the younger generation continues to grow, many psychological effects are beginning to emerge. The consequences of excessive gambling at a young age can have long-lasting effects, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health. Results such as negative mood swings, depression, anxiety and excessive financial debt are known to have an effect, among other secondary effects.

Despite warning signs about the consequences, Lefkowitz says the efforts are not enough to overcome the deep popularity of gambling among the younger generation.

“Gaming is the perfect way to self-medicate. … when they tell you to gamble responsibly, it doesn’t take into account that someone will gamble while they’re depressed or when they’re anxious,” Lefkowitz said.

“When they’re in the casino or behind a slot machine or playing blackjack, they don’t feel depressed, they don’t feel anxious. Unlike drugs or alcohol, gambling has no saturation point, so you can be out there forever or until the money runs out. “

Lefkowitz urges all teens and young adults struggling with a gaming disorder to seek treatment sooner rather than later, because if they wait too long, it may be too late.

“There are two levels of problem gambling: a problem that is solvable and occurs early before the brain chemistry changes, then there is the disorder that is much more severe.

“As I like to say it, in the problem stage you’re still a cucumber. Once you cross that line into disorder, you become a cucumber and you can’t be a cucumber anymore.”