Risky Gambling in Old Age

An independent study in the scientific journal Psychology and Aging suggests a surprising finding: exposure to gambling at a young age is far less likely to yield detrimental effects on individuals than that same exposure later on in life.

Those ill-effects include chronic gambling disorders and suicidal tendencies. This flies in the face of purists who advocate a totally censored approach to internet gambling with regards to children. In fact the danger is 300-400% more likely for older folks becoming problem gamblers than for the younger generation.

In the USA, the National Research Council (NRC) suggested that most young people engage in online gambling on a regular basis. For these young folks, the popular types of gambling appear to be sports wagers and card games. Authorities are deeply concerned about preventing illegal online gambling, especially where minors are involved. Several studies have been commissioned and the results are astounding.

Findings
Director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University, Lia Nower, compared people of different ages and found that seniors were most likely to use strategy, while the 60+ group fell into the compulsive gambling bracket. The only notable difference between the sexes was that women started at a later stage in life. Surprisingly, the studies found that many seniors entertained suicidal thoughts at least four times more than young people, and they used gambling as a primary means of social exchange.