Poll shows young men in the US are more at risk for gambling addiction than the general population

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ten percent of young men in the U.S. show behavior that indicates a gambling problem, compared to 3% of the general population, a new study says. The Fairleigh Dickinson University survey comes as the National Council on Problem Gambling examined every U.S. state's gambling laws, finding that customer protection against developing or worsening gambling problems varies widely and could be improved everywhere. “But there’s always some chance of gambling turning into problem behaviors, and online gambling is proving to be much more dangerous than other kinds.” He said the risks “are closely related to online betting on sports and online slot machines.” Arnie Wexler, a well-known advocate for people with gambling problems and the former head of New Jersey's Council on Compulsive Gambling, said young people and their parents constantly contact him for help. The National Council on Problem Gambling examined gambling laws in every state, looking at how well they align with the most effective player protections in the group's internet responsible gambling standards.