Sex, drugs and alcohol shouldn't be the only topics parents and school officials should be warning their children about these days, according to a new study commissioned by the Oregon Department of Social Services.
Revealing that 33% of youths between the ages of 12 and 17 (an estimated whopping 94,659 teens!) are gambling for free at one of the over 1,700 different sites for online gambling, a few key reasons are given: convenient, easy access and with little monitoring from parents, online gambling is more in reach than ever before.

Officials say this is grooming these teens for future problems later on down the road. The combination of high stimulation with low physical output is also discouraging kids from seeking "healthier" activities. Plus, add in the fact that many kids spend hours upon hours online and you have a potential recipe for disaster.

The percentage of 11th graders who gamble have been found to be in the majority of those who binge drink, carry handguns or pick fights, versus those who do not gamble.

Is all hope lost?

Granted, while this study may paint a grim picture there are some enlightening statistics. Gambling for or with money is represented by less than 1% of the age population polled and overall, gambling amongst youths has gone down in the past 10 years.

So while officials are not saying not to gamble, they are asking people to recognize the risk factors and potential for addiction. Don't let the thrall of winning "big" in a free game make you feel invincible and also be aware that while it is not real money being won or lost, it does not mean that gambling cannot be harmful.

Better horizons on the way

Oregon is now promoting awareness programs in schools through presentations, classroom activities, and parent meetings. They hope that other states will follow their lead.