American International Journal of Social Science

“Young Slaves in the Land of Gambling” The State as a Helpless Viewer of the Struggle of the Youth with Gambling
Periklis Polyzoidis

Abstract
While gambling is thriving worldwide, two worrying observations are made: first, the increase in the age span of gamblers from 33-55 years in the 1970s to 17-70 years in the present, and second, the unprecedent growth of online gambling, a field that young people feel very familiar with. We describe the general landscape of gambling in Greece and record both the intensity and the effect of this promotion on individuals aged up to 25 years. Primary data are drawn, on the one hand, by measuring the advertising time of gambling in the prime-time broadcasting of all national TV channels and, on the other hand, by a nationwide survey with a sample of 315 adults aged 25 years or less. The results are rather encouraging with regard to the present, but the possible effects of early exposure in future periods of the life cycle are still unknown.

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