Children”… Last!
How the lottery would hurt our children
Children play the lottery as an entree into the false promises of gambling. Research has shown us that not only do most compulsive gamblers start when they are adolescents, but at that age they are more likely to become addicted to gambling.
Since our state government recognizes the value of promoting pro-family policies such as character education in our public schools and community-based programs to help working families with healthcare and childcare, it simply does not make any sense to implement a policy like a lottery that would hurt our families.
Regardless of Legality, Children Play the Lottery
In 1997, researchers at Louisiana State University — Shreveport surveyed 12,066 Louisiana students in grades six through 12. They found that 86 percent had gambled, many by age 13, making experimentation with gambling more common than drug or alcohol use. Two-thirds — 66 percent — indicated they had gambled on scratch-off lottery tickets, and about 32 percent had played Lotto. The survey also found that 10 percent of the state's students are problem gamblers, and another 5.7 percent have been identified as pathological gamblers
James R. Westphal, Jill A. Rush, Lee Stevens, Ron Horswell, and Lera Joyce Johnson, "Statewide baseline survey: Pathological gambling and substance abuse-Louisiana students, 6th through 12th grades," (Louisiana State University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, April 27, 1998).
Ninety percent of Indiana's teenagers have gambled at some point in their lives, according to a July 1998 report conducted by Louisiana State University. Of the 3,270 students questioned, 64.7 percent said they had played instant, or scratch-off lottery games. Only 12 percent of the survey sample had reached their 18th birthdays. Approximately 11.2 percent of the teenagers surveyed were identified as problem gamblers, while another 7.5 percent were classified as pathological gamblers.
Doug Sword, "Many Indiana teens are gambling," Indianapolis Star/News, July 11, 1998.
Children are Most At-Risk to Become Compulsive Gamblers
Pediatric literature notes that teenagers are particularly susceptible to the immediate gratification and excitement that comes with gambling. "For young people, the lure of gambling can be hard to resist," says Jean Dede, a certified compulsive gambling counselor at an addiction treatment center in Springfield, Illinois. "Kids love fantasy and action. They want to have cash and look good. [Gambling] becomes about power and getting something for nothing."
"Gambling Addiction often starts early," Illinois Times-Herald Online, February 23, 1999
Compulsive Gambling Begins in Adolescence
"Research shows that 90 percent of the nation's compulsive gamblers got started in adolescence," according to Dr. Michael Gordon, an Atlanta addictionologist who specializes in treating pathological gamblers.
Tom Nugent, "1 million teens addicted to gambling: U.S. report," AAP News, vol. 15, August 1999, p. 7.
Gambling Begets Other Problem Behaviors Among Children
Adolescents with gambling problems are also more likely to have tried many illegal drugs, including cocaine, steroids, and inhalants, according to a 1998 report by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The same report also found that adolescent problem gambling was associated with increased instances of violence-related behaviors such as carrying a weapon and being involved in a fight.
Jenny Proimos, Robert DuRant, Elizabeth Goodman, "Gambling and other risk behaviors among 8th to 12th grade students," Pediatrics, August 1998.
Teen Suicide Associated with Gambling Addiction
One of the most tragic statistics related to teenage gambling is the fact that 17 percent of all gambling-addicted adolescents will attempt suicide.
Tom Nugent, "1 million teens addicted to gambling: U.S. Report," AAP News, vol. 15, August 1999, p.7.
Spouse Abuse Associated with Gambling
Almost 20 percent of spouse abuse cases involve domestic disputes related to gambling.
Larry Braidfoot, Gambling: A Deadly Game (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1985), p. 156.
Child Abuse & Behavioral Problems Associated with Gambling
A survey of 250 members of Gamblers Anonymous revealed that 10 percent of gamblers' children were abused by the gambler, 25 percent of children had significant behavioral problems such as poor school work, running away, drugs, alcohol, or gambling of their own; and as many as 50 percent of spouses said they were physically or verbally abused by the gambler.
Valerie Lorenz and Duane Shuttleworth, "The impact of pathological gambling on the spouse of the gambler," Journal of Community Pathology, vol. 11, 1983, p. 7.
Gambling Industry Admits Lottery is Addictive
Of the 38 lotteries around the country, 35 print warning messages on tickets or in brochures stating that gambling can be addictive.
Loretta Tofani, "Pa. Lottery tickets to bear warning on risks of gambling," Philadelphia Inquirer, September 12, 1997.
Lotteries Associated with Increased Crime Rate
A study of criminal statistics in all 50 states published in 1990 by professors John Mikesell and Maureen A. Pirog-Good of Indiana University noted that the "adoption of a state lottery is associated with a three percent increase in the state crime rate." This increase is the equivalent of 5,478 additional property crimes per year in each state with a lottery.
John Mikesell and Maureen A. Pirog-Good, "State Lotteries and Crime: The regressive revenue producer is linked with a crime rate higher by 3 percent," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, January 1990, as cited by Sandeep Managalmurti and Robert Cook, p. 13.
Lottery Advertising Sells False Promises
A lottery advertisement in New York showed a mother teasing a daughter for studying for a scholarship. After all, Mom had already bought a lottery ticket to solve their financial problems.
An advertisement in Illinois even showed a gentleman mocking those who invest their money in stocks and bonds; he prefers to put it into the lottery.
Neal Peirce, "Lotteries are getting serious and crazy," The Plain Dealer [Cleveland, Ohio], May 9, 1989.
Several years ago, a lottery billboard went up on a street in a low-income neighborhood in Chicago that read, "How to get from Washington Street to Easy Street — Play the Illinois Lottery."
"General Assembly to grapple with issue of lottery advertising," The Sun News, (Myrtle Beach, SC) Monday, December 18, 2000
The following information was provided by Citizens United Against the Lottery
Children play the lottery as an entree into the false promises of gambling. Research has shown us that not only do most compulsive gamblers start when they are adolescents, but at that age they are more likely to become addicted to gambling.
Since our state government recognizes the value of promoting pro-family policies such as character education in our public schools and community-based programs to help working families with healthcare and childcare, it simply does not make any sense to implement a policy like a lottery that would hurt our families.
Regardless of Legality, Children Play the Lottery
In 1997, researchers at Louisiana State University — Shreveport surveyed 12,066 Louisiana students in grades six through 12. They found that 86 percent had gambled, many by age 13, making experimentation with gambling more common than drug or alcohol use. Two-thirds — 66 percent — indicated they had gambled on scratch-off lottery tickets, and about 32 percent had played Lotto. The survey also found that 10 percent of the state's students are problem gamblers, and another 5.7 percent have been identified as pathological gamblers
James R. Westphal, Jill A. Rush, Lee Stevens, Ron Horswell, and Lera Joyce Johnson, "Statewide baseline survey: Pathological gambling and substance abuse-Louisiana students, 6th through 12th grades," (Louisiana State University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, April 27, 1998).
Ninety percent of Indiana's teenagers have gambled at some point in their lives, according to a July 1998 report conducted by Louisiana State University. Of the 3,270 students questioned, 64.7 percent said they had played instant, or scratch-off lottery games. Only 12 percent of the survey sample had reached their 18th birthdays. Approximately 11.2 percent of the teenagers surveyed were identified as problem gamblers, while another 7.5 percent were classified as pathological gamblers.
Doug Sword, "Many Indiana teens are gambling," Indianapolis Star/News, July 11, 1998.
Children are Most At-Risk to Become Compulsive Gamblers
Pediatric literature notes that teenagers are particularly susceptible to the immediate gratification and excitement that comes with gambling. "For young people, the lure of gambling can be hard to resist," says Jean Dede, a certified compulsive gambling counselor at an addiction treatment center in Springfield, Illinois. "Kids love fantasy and action. They want to have cash and look good. [Gambling] becomes about power and getting something for nothing."
"Gambling Addiction often starts early," Illinois Times-Herald Online, February 23, 1999
Compulsive Gambling Begins in Adolescence
"Research shows that 90 percent of the nation's compulsive gamblers got started in adolescence," according to Dr. Michael Gordon, an Atlanta addictionologist who specializes in treating pathological gamblers.
Tom Nugent, "1 million teens addicted to gambling: U.S. report," AAP News, vol. 15, August 1999, p. 7.
Gambling Begets Other Problem Behaviors Among Children
Adolescents with gambling problems are also more likely to have tried many illegal drugs, including cocaine, steroids, and inhalants, according to a 1998 report by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The same report also found that adolescent problem gambling was associated with increased instances of violence-related behaviors such as carrying a weapon and being involved in a fight.
Jenny Proimos, Robert DuRant, Elizabeth Goodman, "Gambling and other risk behaviors among 8th to 12th grade students," Pediatrics, August 1998.
Teen Suicide Associated with Gambling Addiction
One of the most tragic statistics related to teenage gambling is the fact that 17 percent of all gambling-addicted adolescents will attempt suicide.
Tom Nugent, "1 million teens addicted to gambling: U.S. Report," AAP News, vol. 15, August 1999, p.7.
Spouse Abuse Associated with Gambling
Almost 20 percent of spouse abuse cases involve domestic disputes related to gambling.
Larry Braidfoot, Gambling: A Deadly Game (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1985), p. 156.
Child Abuse & Behavioral Problems Associated with Gambling
A survey of 250 members of Gamblers Anonymous revealed that 10 percent of gamblers' children were abused by the gambler, 25 percent of children had significant behavioral problems such as poor school work, running away, drugs, alcohol, or gambling of their own; and as many as 50 percent of spouses said they were physically or verbally abused by the gambler.
Valerie Lorenz and Duane Shuttleworth, "The impact of pathological gambling on the spouse of the gambler," Journal of Community Pathology, vol. 11, 1983, p. 7.
Gambling Industry Admits Lottery is Addictive
Of the 38 lotteries around the country, 35 print warning messages on tickets or in brochures stating that gambling can be addictive.
Loretta Tofani, "Pa. Lottery tickets to bear warning on risks of gambling," Philadelphia Inquirer, September 12, 1997.
Lotteries Associated with Increased Crime Rate
A study of criminal statistics in all 50 states published in 1990 by professors John Mikesell and Maureen A. Pirog-Good of Indiana University noted that the "adoption of a state lottery is associated with a three percent increase in the state crime rate." This increase is the equivalent of 5,478 additional property crimes per year in each state with a lottery.
John Mikesell and Maureen A. Pirog-Good, "State Lotteries and Crime: The regressive revenue producer is linked with a crime rate higher by 3 percent," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, January 1990, as cited by Sandeep Managalmurti and Robert Cook, p. 13.
Lottery Advertising Sells False Promises
A lottery advertisement in New York showed a mother teasing a daughter for studying for a scholarship. After all, Mom had already bought a lottery ticket to solve their financial problems.
An advertisement in Illinois even showed a gentleman mocking those who invest their money in stocks and bonds; he prefers to put it into the lottery.
Neal Peirce, "Lotteries are getting serious and crazy," The Plain Dealer [Cleveland, Ohio], May 9, 1989.
Several years ago, a lottery billboard went up on a street in a low-income neighborhood in Chicago that read, "How to get from Washington Street to Easy Street — Play the Illinois Lottery."
"General Assembly to grapple with issue of lottery advertising," The Sun News, (Myrtle Beach, SC) Monday, December 18, 2000
The following information was provided by Citizens United Against the Lottery
