HEAD’S UP ON ADOLESCENT GAMBLING

Posted: 12/6/2025 5:26 pm

The number of adolescents with gambling problems has quadrupled in just two years – currently, over 40,000 in Massachusetts, with studies showing that 60–80% of high school students have gambled in the past year.

What may start as seemingly harmless activities, such as video games with loot boxes, can lead to serious issues. Children exposed to betting before age 12 are four times more likely to face gambling challenges as adults, and gambling is linked to the highest suicide rates among addictions.

Check out B-PEN’s “Gambling” page for prevention tips, warning signs, resources, articles. For any questions or concerns, you can contact the Prevention/Intervention Team for confidential advice – gabrielle_dean@psbma.org, 617.713.5149.

https://b-pennew.weebly.com/teens--gambling.html

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