Around one-in-five 16-year-olds who gamble are finding it difficult to control the habit, according to a new report. The research suggests the majority of those experiencing excessive or problem gambling were young males.
Nearly half of those who bet on sport or animal racing also engaged in heavy episodic drinking at least once, while a quarter had experienced trouble with gardaí.
There was also a link between smoking and gambling, as those who smoked or used e-cigarettes were twice as likely to gamble for money.
The report gathered data from nearly 2,000 16-year-olds attending Irish secondary schools. It examined whether teens had used slot machines, played cards or lotteries, or bet on sports and animals, while also looking at their behaviours while gambling.
