As the legalization of sports betting expands in the U.S., reaching 33 states and soon to include three more, concerns are growing about the effects of this trend on minors and young adults. Among high school students, 60% to 80% have reported gambling for money during the past year, with 4% to 6% at risk of developing a gambling problem, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling.
These statistics are motivating a push to include problem gambling education in public schools to teach teenagers about the risks associated with betting. The effort is still in its infancy, with details about the curriculum yet to be determined.
Virginia passed a law last year mandating schools to include classes on gambling and its addictive potential. The state Board of Education is still formulating the curriculum. Similarly, New Jersey and Michigan have pending bills to create such classes. Attempts to pass similar legislation have failed in Maryland and West Virginia, but these states are expected to make further attempts.
Despite efforts to prevent underage gambling, such as age confirmation and identity checks, teenagers can find ways around these restrictions, such as using a parent’s betting account or using offshore betting sites.
Not all forms of gambling involve sports. In online games, “loot boxes” offer prizes to players who spend real money. This can lead children to normalize the idea of spending money to “win.”
Nick, who declined to provide his full name due to pending criminal charges related to his gambling addiction, wishes this kind of education had been available when he was in high school. Nick began gambling in high school, betting on his ability to make three-point shots in basketball. This habit evolved into larger wagers on sports games and cost him over $700,000 in the past decade. He hit rock bottom when he stole $35,000 from his workplace and gambled it away on international tennis and soccer matches.
Nick believes that if he had received education about the dangers of gambling while he was still in high school, he might have avoided the cycle of gambling addiction that has deeply affected his life.
As states continue to expand legalized gambling, the discussion around preventive education is gaining momentum, aiming to equip young people with the knowledge they need to navigate a society where gambling is increasingly accessible.