By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

GAMBLING addiction is silently taking hold among Bahamian students, with many engaging in betting games without understanding the risks or recognising they may already be addicted, according to Paulette Dean, chairperson of the Gambling Addiction Awareness Programme at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC).

Speaking at an addiction awareness symposium, Ms Dean said students often present at SRC with issues such as anxiety or depression — and, in some cases, suspected substance use — only for gambling problems to emerge over time.

“We see a lot come with addictions, but they do not admit that they have a gambling problem. So they’ll come with depression, they’ll come with anxiety problems. They come with a substance use problem. But when you get to the root of some of these issues, you’ll find out after a period of time that some gambling was involved, and definitely substance use played a huge factor,” she said.

By the time these behaviours are uncovered, she said, the addiction is often deeply rooted, and students may be hiding it from their families or grappling with shame.

“A lot of people are suffering, suffering alone, and they are afraid to come forward, because people look at them as failures, as lousy or they could have known better. They should have done better,” she said.

She noted that teachers have raised concerns as well, particularly about students gambling on school grounds.

“Speaking to some teachers, definitely the children are throwing dice. That’s a biggie in the schools, and they know there’s a lot of gaming going around. And, of course, vaping is huge, because remember, now we’re not just focusing today on gambling, but of course, substance use,” she said.

Ms Dean cited international research showing that around 60 percent of people who use alcohol or drugs also engage in gambling. She said students often view activities like drinking and betting as harmless fun but fail to realise how such habits can spiral into addiction.

“We know that these, what they call entry drugs, particularly alcohol, that they see as harmless, are what really causes them to engage in those activities. And it only gets worse after that,” she said.

She warned that the issue isn’t only the gambling itself, but the early exposure that normalises addictive behaviour and shapes decision-making well into adulthood.

“We want to encourage students to refrain, at least until they are after the age of 24 and when they’re responsible, at least when their brain is more developed and they can make responsible decisions and be able to deal with the consequences. But right now, they are at a disadvantage,” she said.

Ms Dean said peer pressure, social influences, and the widespread normalisation of gambling make it harder for students to step away. Many, she noted, may not even realise they are developing a problem.

She acknowledged that support is available through centres like SRC but said young people often fail to seek help — either because they don’t recognise the addiction or because they are too ashamed to speak up.

“The Gambling Addiction Awareness Programme is a starting point,” she said. “Our role is to bring awareness, and we have been doing that, and we try to reach out, not just in Nassau, but in the Family Islands, about the growing need for persons to really understand what’s happening.”

She warned that the wider impact of student gambling is already being felt.

“It’s really disrupting a lot of lives, and it’s causing more expense, financial issues with the country at large because when one person is affected, the family is affected, then the country is affected,” she said.