A night at the casinos may sound like an entertaining evening, but recent studies show college students are particularly vulnerable to problem gambling.

Some ISU students have found although they go to the casinos to win money, they may end up losing more than they bargained for.

Over the summer, Jason Kempker, junior in landscape architecture, paid a visit to the Catfish Bend Riverboat Casino in Fort Madison with some friends. He started at the blackjack table with $60, but quickly doubled his money.

“As soon as I began to win, I wanted to reach $250,” he said. “I was so close, but within 15 minutes, I lost all of the money I won and [the money] I started off with.”

Although Kempker is an infrequent gambler, more and more students are becoming familiar with his situation.

College students are particularly vulnerable to problem gambling, according to “The Wager,” a weekly report on gambling distributed by Harvard Medical School.

The lifetime prevalence of problem gambling among college students is estimated to be 5.6 percent, almost three times what researchers have found for the adult population, The Wager reported.

The Harvard Report also found more than 42 percent of students said they gamble primarily to make money.

Although Iowa casinos like Catfish Bend and Prairie Meadows are available only to those who are 21 and older, underage students often find other ways to gamble.

Mystic Lake Casino is located in Shakopee, Minn., where gambling is legal for people 18 and older.

“My friends and I went there once before we all turned 21,” said Libby Lewis, junior in child, adult and family services. “It was just something to do for an evening.”

Although many students gamble for leisure and entertainment, those who find themselves at the casino more frequently may be at risk for a lifetime of future debt.

Tahira Hira, assistant to President Gregory Geoffroy and author of a 1996 study on gambling and students, found there is a direct correlation between gambling and bankruptcy.

Of the 797 ISU students surveyed for the study, 52 percent admitted to gambling. The study found that between 33,000 and 62,000 Iowans in general are considered “problem gamblers.” The study also found more than a quarter of Iowans filing for bankruptcy consider themselves to be problem gamblers.

Bankruptcy may seem like a far reach for students who simply gamble $10 here and there, but it is easy to get addicted quickly.

Hira’s study also showed differing attitudes by gender. Females tended to gamble more for entertainment purposes, while males gambled specifically to win.

A survey conducted by the Iowa chapter of “Bets Off” found both sexes like slot machines. The machines were the “drug of choice” for 59 percent of problem gamblers asked to rate their addictions.

However, Hira’s survey found ISU students not only enjoy casinos, they also use sports betting, the lottery and horse racing as other common ways to gamble.

“I actually think horse racing is a cheap way to spend an evening,” said Paul Conradt, senior in art and design.

“If you only bet $2 a race, $20 will get you an entire night’s worth of entertainment. That’s no worse than going to the movies.”

Hira’s study also showed gamblers had an average of 19 percent more debt than non-gamblers. The self-described gamblers owed an average of $41,342 each.

Iowa gamblers also tended to have lower annual incomes than the non-gamblers — $20,340 compared to $30,384.

Hira said part of the reason gambling is becoming more prevalent in college-age people is the behavior of their parents.

“Kids grow up in an environment where people in the family gamble, so [they] learn about it from the moment they start talking,” Hira said.

Symptoms of problem gambling include losing sleep over bets, borrowing or stealing money or possessions to finance gambling and gambling to escape worries or troubles.

Students who believe they may have a problem can schedule an appointment with the Central Iowa Gambling Treatment Program for one-on-one counseling. For more information, call (515) 309-0380 or (800) 341-3576.

Another option for students who believe they have a problem is to contact Gamblers Anonymous.

The 12-step peer-facilitated support group meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:45 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation Student Center, 2622 Lincoln Way. Problem gamblers as well as concerned friends and family are welcome to attend these meetings.