Change Indicator

Teen gambling by gender and grade in Delaware

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Why This Indicator Matters

Teen gambling is playing the lottery or scratching off tickets, placing bets on sports leagues or specific teams, playing cards for cash, or placing bets on challenges (dares, fights, races, etc.); playing personal skill games or placing bets on them; and placing bets on video games. In comparison to adults, teenagers report gambling less frequently and with less money, albeit this might be because they have less access to money and fewer gaming possibilities. They favor playing cards and other types of strategic gambling over non-strategic gambling. Age restrictions may reduce youth gambling, but they may not fully eliminate it. Early onset of gambling and having parents with gambling problems are risk factors for the emergence of gambling disorders. In terms of the relationship between gambling and mood, there are gender differences; girls who gamble are more likely than boys to report having dysthymia or depression because of gaming. Teenage males and girls who bet have higher levels of anxiety than their counterparts who don’t.
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Definition and Source

PROVIDER

Definition

Gambling includes: played the lottery or scratch off tickets; bet on fantasy sports, bet on individual sports teams, played cards for money, bet on a challenge (dare, fight, race, etc.); played Bingo for money, bet on dice games such as craps; gambled on the internet; bet on games of personal skill such as pool, darts, or basketball; bet on video games

NA: Not Available
S: Data Suppressed

Data Source

Delaware School Survey. Center for Drug & Health Studies, University of Delaware.

Notes

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the data collection for the Delaware School Survey was temporarily suspended. This suspension has resulted in a gap in Delaware School Survey data for the 2020 survey year. However, due to an early administration approach that started in the 2019-2020 school year for the 8th grade survey, CDHS was able to collect enough surveys in the 2019-2020 school year to report out 8th grade data. Data on 5th and 11th grade students for the 2020 school year will not be available.

Gambling questions are only asked in even number years.

Since 1995, the Center for Drug and Health Studies at the University of Delaware has administered an annual survey to public school students about alcohol, tobacco and drug use. The Delaware School Survey is an annual survey of 5th, 8th and 11th grade public school student in Delaware. This study is the continuation of a survey that was first administered to Delaware students in Spring, 1989. Since 2004, the Delaware School Survey has been jointly sponsored by the Delaware Legislature through the Delaware Health Fund and Prevention Block Grant funding. It has become a valuable tool in assessing trends of questions on school behavior, health habits and parental interaction. In recent years, the study has shown an increased interest in safety, parental involvement, educational needs and healthy lifestyles.

Last Updated

November 2022