Problem Gambling Grows Among Young People in Connecticut

(AsiaGameHub) –   A recent study by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services draws attention to the rising prevalence of gambling among college students and the harms it can inflict.

Challenges Persist with Problem Gambling Among College and University Students in Connecticut

The research focused on students at 12 public community colleges and found that gambling-related harm is widespread. Overall, University of Connecticut researchers reported that roughly 70% of the 1,200 students surveyed across public and private institutions in 2023 had gambled in the prior 12 months—signaling that gambling has become a common activity for young adults.

Diana Goode, executive director of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, states the situation has deteriorated since the study. Calls to the council’s 24/7 helpline have grown increasingly frequent from younger people, including college students, especially since legalized sports betting and online gambling launched in Connecticut in 2021.

To tackle this issue, a new bill in the Connecticut Senate proposes that public colleges and universities offer an on-campus problem gambling program at least once per academic year.

A New Bill Lays Out Additional Steps to Address Problem Gambling on Student Campuses

These programs would provide students with details about campus and community resources for treatment and rehabilitation, and could be run in partnership with non-profit organizations. Institutions would need to prioritize groups funded by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, such as the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, when setting up these programs.

Senator Derek Slap, chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, described the bill as “a modest first step” in addressing problem gambling among college students.

Goode noted that the typical profile of a problem gambler has shifted dramatically: “We used to think the problem gambler was the little old lady at the slot machine. Now, it is the 20-something male betting on sports. A lot of those are college students, and the number of calls we get from these students and their parents has skewed all our figures; it’s over 50%.”