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Spot gambling problems Gambling counselors say teens -- and adults -- with a gambling problem may: Be absent without explanation. Commit petty crimes such as shoplifting and theft. Exhibit increased depression, irritability and anxiousness. The youth gambling habit study also found that compulsive or obsessive gambling is associated with teen tobacco, alcohol and drug use. Also some of the core issues driving compulsive gambling are the same ones that drive other addictions, including child abuse and lack of self-esteem. For more information on how someone can obtain help with compulsive gambling, call 1-800-233-8479. Compulsive gamblers start young In Oregon, nearly 4,700 teens may be addicted to gambling By SUSAN JAY Teenagers with a gambling problem are often hard to spot. But they're out there. An estimated 11 percent of 1,000 Oregon teenagers recently surveyed showed some signs of problem gambling, according to a study released Tuesday for the Oregon Gambling Addiction Treatment Foundation. The study said that the rate of compulsive or obsessive gambling among Oregon teenagers 17 years or younger is estimated at 4.1 percent. That may not sound like a substantial problem. But it translates to at least 4,693 Oregon teenagers, said Michael McCracken, director of the foundation. "It's a lot of kids," McCracken said, who apparently need gambling addiction treatment in the state, but there is no treatment available. That 4.1 percent is also higher than the rate of adult problem gamblers in Oregon, which is 3.3 percent. McCracken said the study's results point to a concern that compulsive and obsessive gambling is starting at an early age, especially in conjunction with the increase in state-sponsored gambling across the nation. The study also found that 30 percent of the teens surveyed were playing the Oregon Lottery, mostly "Scratch-It" tickets. In 50 percent of those cases, parents or relatives bought the tickets, whereas 35 percent of the teens bought the tickets themselves. The youth surveyed were significantly more likely to gamble, and gamble earlier, if one or both of their parents gambled. Approximately 12 percent of the teens reported gambling in casinos, even though casinos screen for age, McCracken said. Treating compulsive teen gamblers is difficult because no local treatment programs are available, and "it is a very hidden addiction," said Marilane Jorgenson, a gambling addiction counselor for Josephine County. Compulsive gamblers don't show physical signs of their addiction like alcoholics or drug addicts. Their problem is easy to hide, until it's too late, she said. "Compulsive gamblers have the highest suicide rate of any addiction," Jorgenson said. Teenagers who gamble can rack up thousands of dollars of debt, then feel overwhelmed and suicidal because they see no way out, she said. She knows of a few cases nationally where teenagers have committed suicide, leaving notes saying they did so because of their gambling. Kids who start gambling in grade school are more likely to be problem gamblers, the survey said. Jorgenson said teenagers usually move on to sports betting. She knows of a couple of local teenagers who have compulsive gambling problems, but they have nowhere to turn because there are no adolescent gambling treatment programs. Jackson and Josephine counties have counselors who provide gambling addiction treatment for adults, which is paid for by the Oregon Lottery. Jorgenson supervises a counselor in Jackson County under a contract with the state. Part of the solution to compulsive teenage gambling is educating parents, teachers and counselors about the problem, so they can be aware and start recognizing the signs, Jorgenson said. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA