1992 Texas survey of adolescent gambling behavior

Abstract

As part of its legislative mandate to “conduct studies to identify adults and juveniles in the state who are, or who are at risk of becoming, problem or compulsive gamblers,” the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse carried out a telephone survey of the gambling behavior of 6,308 adults aged 18 and over and 924 adolescents aged 14–17. The survey was conducted in spring 1992, in the few months preceding the start of the Texas Lottery, and was intended to describe the gambling behavior of adults and adolescents before the state lottery began. The results of the adult survey were published in a separate document (Wallisch, 1993). The present report presents the results of the adolescent survey. It serves as a baseline for future assessments of gambling and problem gambling among adolescents in Texas after a state lottery has begun, as well as a resource for addressing the needs of adolescents who currently have gambling problems.