Legislation banning lotteries in many states soon followed, some were even written into the State Constitution (Pavalko 16). The second wave of legal gambling was short-lived. Scandals and the rise of Victorian morality led to the end of legal gambling. Virtually all forms of gambling were prohibited in the United States by 1910. There was legal betting in only 3 states, which allowed horse racing, but even that number shrank in years following. The thoughts about gambling ran so strong that Arizona and New Mexico were required to outlaw casinos to gain statehood. The prohibition however did not stop gambling. There were many types of illegal gambling houses. Some operated openly for many years, but had to pay protection money to the law enforcement authoritys for this privilege. (Pavliko21). .
The third and present phase began during the great depression of the 1930's. The great depression led to a much greater legalization of gambling. The antigambling mood changed as major financial problems gripped the country, especially after the stock market crash of 1929. Legalized gambling was looked upon as a way to fuel the economy. Nevada was the first state to relegalize gambling in 1931. Racetracks were opened by twenty-one states in 1931, with pari-mutuel betting. Bingo was made was legal in 11 states by the 1950's, usually only for the purpose of charity (Feerman, Drebing, and Krebs 9). The first legal lotteries began in the 1960's, beginning with New Hampshire in 1964. By the end of the 1970's fourteen states were running lotteries. The recent expansion of lotterys and casino gambling is part of the explosion of gambling the United States has seen since the 1970's, continuing to the present (Pavalko 22). .
II. Teens Growing Interest in Gambling.
The explosion of gambling was never intended to give rise to the teenage gambler.
Growing research however, has suggested that adolescents are becoming involved in gambling activities in ever-increasing numbers, despite the fact that in most states, gambling under the age of 18 is illegal.
