A new study from the Research Institute on Addictions at the University of Buffalo published in the Journal of Gambling Studies combined two national surveys to examine gambling and gambling problems across the lifespan, from the teenage years to retirement-age. The authors found that gambling involvement, frequent gambling (defined as gambling 52 times per year or more) and problem gambling increased during the teens, peaked in the 20s and 30s, and then declined in adults older than 40.
The authors noted that these findings do not support the notion that gambling involvement and problem gambling are most prevalent among adolescents, a pattern observed with alcohol involvement. In fact, this study showed that alcohol use and gambling followed distinctly different patterns. Alcohol dependence peaked between 18 and 22 and fell off rapidly after that, while problem gambling remained relatively stable between 18 and 60, peaking between 31 and 40.
To access this article visit the website of the Journal of Gambling Studies. As always we welcome your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.
