OLYMPIA -- How much of a problem is Internet gambling for adolescents and young adults?

A 2006 study from the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviors showed that:

• Only 9 percent of all high school students who responded to the survey said they had gambled on the Internet.
• But of the youth who responded on-line, nearly half – or 42 percent – said they had gambled on the Internet.
• What's more, 70 percent of them reported they gambled on the Internet at least once a week. Most were male and about a third -- 28 percent of them -- conceded they had a gambling problem.

Internet gambling research is still in its infancy, and researchers believe there are more adults than youth who gamble on the Web right now. But the kids are catching up fast. For example, teens report growing use of "practice gambling sites," where no actual money is exchanged. In the study above, half of the high school students overall reported that they had visited these "practice sites."

But according to gambling experts, "practice gambling sites" are really a potent form of advertising. Many pay out inflated winnings, persuading novices that their actual payout rates will be higher than reality – something they won't be able to figure out until they start visiting the real sites and start losing money. Advertisements for practice sites also appear on television, where they are more likely to catch a young person's eye.

So far, strong federal laws have helped keep a damper on Internet gambling. Congress essentially made it illegal for anyone – adult or youth – to gamble on the Internet, in part because there is no regulation of the sites – and no way to judge whether the games are fair or that payoffs will be made.

The federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Act of 2006 prohibits both individuals and institutions from knowingly accepting credit card payments, fund transfers, checks, and any other type of financial transactions made in connection with internet gambling.

But the gambling is still available, mostly because Internet gambling is headquartered almost entirely outside the boundaries of the United States even though half the gamblers are from this country.

The law does not prohibit simulcast, state-run lotteries, on-line fantasy sports games, intrastate gambling, or gambling on Native American Territories, but it appears to have cut into some of the gambling on the Web.

The Annenberg Public Policy Center released a study in October 2007 that showed weekly use of the Internet for gambling by college students had declined from 5.8 percent in 2006 to only 1.5 percent in 2007.

"Our hope is that the drop means the federal legislation is doing its job," said Linda Graves, Project Manager for the Problem Gambling Program in Washington State. "But it's possible we're just seeing a temporary slowdown and that the rate will climb back up as the gamblers readjust to the law."

The Washington State Gambling Commission offers several warnings about Internet gambling:

• Gamblers have no way to tell if a site is honest, if winnings will be paid out or if the money wagered will be used for criminal purposes.
• Players have no recourse if they are not paid or believe they were cheated.
• In addition, players are at risk of credit card fraud, identity theft, or other financial crimes when they turn over personal financial information like credit card numbers.

"Devastation from gambling isn't about the statistics and the studies," says Project Manager Graves. "It isn't about the gambling being legal or illegal. It is about one person developing problems with gambling, and the effects of those problems on both the gambler and the gambler's family. Then problem gambling becomes personal."

Governor Gregoire has declared March 9 - 15, 2008,Washington State Problem Gambling Awareness Week. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 800-547-6133, where there is help 24/7.

Problem Gambling Awareness Week

Governor Gregoire has declared March 9 to15 as 2008 Washington State Problem Gambling Awareness Week. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 800-547-6133, where there is help 24/7.

For tips on preventing problem gambling, and knowing how to spot a problem, visit www.notagame.org

FOR ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND, CONTACT: Jim Stevenson, Communications Director, HRSA, DSHS, 360-902-7604 (Pager: 360-971-4067).