According to a recent study published in the Journal of Gambling Studies, after age 21 problem gambling is far more prevalent than alcohol dependence among U.S. adults (Gambling and Problem Gambling Across the Lifespan, by John W. Welte et al.).
Researchers at the University of Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions conducted two surveys, one involving 14-21 year-olds and one involving people over age 18, and used the combined findings to determine the prevalence of problem gambling and alcohol use across the lifespan. The research found that gambling increases in frequency during the teen years and reaches its highest point in the 20s and 30s. It also showed problem gambling among men is twice that of women and is more frequent and problematic as the socioeconomic status falls.
