As Schools Prepare to Open, Groups Warn of Gamblers Paradise, Will Unveil Alarming Underage Gambling Statistic

Problem Gambling groups, educators and law enforcement representatives will join Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera to unveil policy effort to combat dramatic rise in underage gambling across New York

ALBANY, NY (08/31/2010)(readMedia)-- As many as 48% of youth in grades 7-12 have gambled in the past year, and the state agency in charge of addiction problems now estimates that 20 % of New York's adolescents or 300,000 youth currently have or are at risk of gambling problems. These and other startling findings will be unveiled along with two proposed policy efforts that include expanding the school based substance abuse curriculum to include gambling addiction. New study also shows teen gamblers are at higher risk of other addictions and teen rates of online gambling are higher than adult online betting.

WHO:

Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera, Speaker Pro Tempore of the New York State Assembly

James Maney, Executive Director, NY Council on Problem Gambling

James A. Murphy III, Saratoga County District Attorney (via phone)

Julia M. Dostal, Executive Director of LEAF, Inc.

Dr. Carlos Blanco, Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University

Ike Dweck, Executive Director, The Safe Foundation – Brooklyn

Law enforcement officials and parents and family members of underage gamblers
WHAT:

Gambling addiction experts, policymakers and law enforcement representatives will unveil alarming under-age gambling statistics and two new policy efforts to reduce dramatic increase in youth gambling throughout New York State.

As New York prepares to turn Aqueduct Race Track into a high-traffic gambling destination and Congress debates allowing online gambling, group will call for measures to ensure public safety and prevent youth gambling addiction.
WHEN: Wednesday September 01, 2010 at 02:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
WHERE: Front Steps of City Hall
New York, New York