Abstract
The topic of adolescent gambling is attracting growing interest, but there has still been little controlled or systematic research into the area, and much of what has been written would best be described as “armchair theorizing.” The literature concerning pre-adult gambling behavior falls into three general categories: (a) direct and indirect studies concerning adolescent gambling; (b) studies of the economic socialization of children, and (c) consideration of gambling as play and games as precursors to gambling. This paper presents an overview of the literature examining each of these three categories.
Special emphasis is placed upon the playing of fruit machines, as it is this activity which is currently regarded as the biggest problem concerning young gamblers, particularly in the U.K. Recommendations for future research are discussed, particularly for work using a functional/behavioral analysis model to determine the variables which influence how adolescents “learn” to gamble.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amati (1981). Juvenile delinquency and habit patterns.Indian Journal of Social Work, 44 405–8.
American Psychiatric Association (1987).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd edition-revised).Washington, DC:Author.
Amusement Arcade Action Group (1987).Amusement arcades: The case for reforms of law controlling amusement arcades. London: Author.
Arcuri, A.F., Lester, D. & Smith, F.O. (1985). Shaping adolescent gambling behaviour.Adolescence, 20 935–38.
Barham, B. & Cormell, M. (1987).Teenage use of amusement arcades in Bognor Regis. Bognor Regis: WSIHE.
Berti, A., Bombi, A. & Lis, A. (1982). The child's conception about means of production and their owners.European Journal of Social Psychology, 12 221–239.
British Market Research Bureau (1986).Gambling: Mintel leisure intelligence, (Vol. 14). London: Author.
Brown, R.I.F. (1986). Arousal and sensation-seeking components in the general explanation of gambling and gambling addictions.The International Journal of the Addictions, 21 1001–1016.
Caillois, R. (1958).Man, play and games. New York: Free Press.
Cornish, D.B. (1978).Gambling: A review of the literature and its implications for policy and research. Her Majesty's Stationery Office: London.
Cummings, S. & Taebel, D. (1978). Economic socialization of children: A Neo-Marxist view.Social Problems, 26 198–210.
Custer, R.L. (1982). An overview of compulsive gambling. In P. Carone, S. Yoles, S. Keiffer and L. Krinsky (Eds.),Addictive Disorders Update (pp. 107–124). New York: Human Sciences Press.
Danzinger, K. (1958). Children's earliest conception of economic relationships.Journal of Social Psychology, 47 231–40.
Dell, L.J., Ruzicka, M.F. & Palisi, A.T. (1981). Personality and other factors associated with the gambling addiction.International Journal of the Addictions, 16 149–156.
Furnham, A. (1982). The perception of poverty among adolescents.Journal of Adolescence, 5 135–47.
Furnham, A. (1986). Children's understanding of the economic world.Australian Journal of Education, 5 135–47.
Furnham, A. & Thomas, P. (1984). Pocket money: A study of economic education.British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 2 205–12.
Haire, M. & Morrison, F. (1957). School children's perception of labour and management.Journal of Social Psychology, 46 179–197.
Harris, H.I. (1964). Gambling addiction in an adolescent male.Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 33 513–525.
Herman, R.D. (1976).Gamblers and gambling. Lexington, MA: Heath.
Ide-Smith, S. & Lea, S.E.G. (1988). Gambling in young adolescents.Journal of Gambling Behavior, 4 110–119.
Jahoda, G. (1979). The construction of economic reality by some Glaswegian children.European Journal of Social Psychology, 9 115–27.
Jahoda, G. (1983). European “lag” in the development of an economic concept: A study in Zimbabwe.British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 1 110–20.
Kallick, M., Suits, D., Dielman, T. & Hybels, J. (1979).A survey of American gambling attitudes and behaviour. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan.
Keill, N. (1956). The behaviour of five adolescent poker players.Journal of Human Relations, 5 79–89.
Kusyszyn, I. (1972). The gambling addict vs. the gambling professional.International Journal of the Addictions, 7 387–393.
Kusyszyn, I. (1984). The psychology of gambling.Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, 474 133–145.
Ladouceur, R. & Mireault, (1988). Gambling behaviors among high school students in the Quebec area.Journal of Gambling Behavior, 4 3–12.
Leppard, D. (1987, May 3). Scandal of the child gamblers.Sunday Times.
Lesieur, H.R. & Klein, R. (1987). Pathological gambling among high school students.Addictive Behaviors, 12 129–135.
Livingston, J. (1974).Compulsive gamblers: Observations on action and abstinence. Harper and Row: New York.
Lorenz, V.C. & Shuttlesworth, D.E. (1983). The impact of pathological gambling on the spouse of the gambler.Journal of Community Psychology, 11 67–76.
Marshall, H. & Magruder, L. (1960). Relations between parent money education practices and children's knowledge and uses of money.Child Development, 31 337–338.
Miller, L. & Horn, T. (1955). Children's concepts regarding debt.Elementary School Journal, 55 406–412.
Miller, P.M. (1976).Behavioural treatment of alcoholism. New York: Pergamon.
Miller, P.M. & Mastria, M.A. (1977).Alternatives to alcohol abuse: A social learning model. Champaign, IL: Research Press.
Moody, G. (1987).Parents of young gamblers. Paper presented at the 7th International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking, Reno, Nevada.
Moran, E. (1987).Gambling among school children: The impact of the fruit machine. National Council on Gambling (Special Report).
National Housing and Town Planning Council (1988).The use of amusement arcades and gambling machines: A national survey. London: Author.
Nickel, D. (1975). Ski-ing as a natural high.Journal of Drug Education, 5 159–160.
Opie, I. & Opie, P. (1969).Children's games in street and playground. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Roberts, J. & Pool, Y. (1988).Slot machine playing by children. Spectrum Childrens Trust. Special Report.
Rosenstein, J. & Reutter, R. (1980). Gambling: An adolescent activity. Abstract inJournal of Adolescent Health Care, 1, 180.
Royal Commission in Gambling (1976–78), Vol. 1. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.
Smith, J.F. & Abt, V. (1984). Gambling as play.Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, 474 122–132.
Strauss, A. (1952). The development and transformation of monetary meanings in the child.American Sociological Review, 17 275–286.
Stumphauzer, J.S. (1980). Learning to drink: Adolescents and alcohol.Addictive Behaviors, 5 277–283.
Tan, H.K.R. & Stacey, B.G. (1981). The understanding of socio-economic concepts in Malaysian Chinese school children.Child Study Journal, 11 33–49.
Wolkowitz, O.M., Roy, A. & Doran, A.R. (1985). Pathological gambling and other risk-taking pursuits.Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 8 311–22.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The author would like to thank the United Kingdom Economic and Social Research Council for funding this work through a research studentship. The author would also like to thank Stephen Lea for his invaluable advice during preparation of this script.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Griffiths, M.D. Gambling in children and adolescents. J Gambling Stud 5, 66–83 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01022138
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01022138