Gambling has been gaining popularity, especially within the teenage audience. Sports betting, a type of gambling, has been on the rise, specifically with boys. Gambling can turn into a dangerous and lengthy addiction and should be something that students avoid all together.
The first known record of gambling dates back to 2300 B.C.E. but mainly rose to significant fame in the 1900s. Gambling is risking something valuable, usually money, and trying to get an uncertain outcome out of it, usually more money.
Gambling has seen an increased amount of access due to being able gamble from your phone. Mobile apps and sports betting are available to do just from a tap on your screen. The convenience of it has led to the normalization of risk. It has turned into a popular thing to joke about. It’s rarely taken seriously as an actual addiction.
Gambling can cause different mental health issues and can even lead to suicide. These issues can be caused by the stress of poverty due to gambling needed things like money and valuable items or not spending money on essential items. It can also cause issues with family, theft, fraud, and neglected children. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 1.2% of the world’s adult population has a gambling addiction.
Gambling apps are sometimes even used by students during class. It can affect their academic performance and mental health. The act of gambling by students can lead to declining grades and regret that they lost their money on it. Gambling is a distraction that is exciting but can do more harm than good. It is extremely damaging for teens because they may not grasp the reality of losing that much money yet. Many don’t realize that starting to gamble at a young age can set you up for future bad financial habits early. It can also set them up for a future gambling addiction that they cannot get out of. Many need to hold themselves responsible and take accountability for their lack of financial understanding.
Gambling is usually marketed as something that’s easy money, when in reality, you lose more than you win. The most common arguments of “it’s just for fun” and “it’s not even a big deal” don’t hold any power when you keep falling down a hole of gambling. The “small bets” can eventually pile up. Soon the smaller bets won’t give you the satisfaction, and you’ll wanna give up even bigger things in order to win. When getting hit with the adrenaline, you don’t think about your decisions. With teens being more vulnerable to addiction, their gambling is the major issue that should be taken seriously. It should be prevented among the younger audience, even if it’s something like sports betting.
Gambling is a temporary adrenaline high that expires and has many long term consequences. If students are seeking that sort of adrenaline they should find either a sport or something else that gives them the same boost and won’t hurt them. Gambling has too many long-term consequences just for that temporary happiness high.
