This article contends that youth gambling is a formidable social problem that draws on those who can least afford it, is partly derived from a general disempowerment from society, and as a consequence, is connected with risk-taking behaviors such as drug and alcohol abuse. To explore further the complex nature of youth gambling and its relation to social disadvantage, the empirical analysis incorporates comparisons between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth and between male and female youth. The conclusions suggest that youth gambling is a form of regressive taxation that exploits those who are most vulnerable because of their socioeconomic marginality and their feelings of relative powerlessness.
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