Cards swiped across the table, chips stacked against each other — in the last five years, the gambling industry has grown to almost double its pre-pandemic size. In turn, younger audiences have begun using online channels to take advantage of the most accessible era for gambling to date. This, however, paves the way for new dangers, similar to addictions like alcohol and nicotine — particularly among younger users.
Gambling is the act of playing games of chance for money, also known as the practice of betting. By its very nature, gambling involves risking something one values, one’s money, in hopes of getting something even greater in value — more money. As a result, gambling stimulates the brain’s reward system.
More specifically, since the COVID-19 pandemic, online gambling sites have become increasingly popular. For example, betting apps and websites focused on online sports, where users bet on sports results, player stats and more, have reached over 120 million users, with the National Institute of Health stating that 42.6% of sports betting is done by the youth. Similarly, online casino websites are now reaching peak popularity and the online gambling scene has expanded further than most would expect. For example, Polymarket, a cryptocurrency prediction market, facilitated almost $4 billion in bets on the 2024 United States presidential election outcome.
Although growth in the online industry would not inherently be a problem, it proves a different story for the youth. Teens and young adults are more likely to be apprehended at an actual casino, but can get away with accessing online casinos with little difficulty. This issue is only worsening now that the industry has picked up on the youth’s vulnerability to gambling and how it negatively stimulates the brain. According to National Public Radio, gambling advertisements now fill the online sphere, spanning across sports, live streaming and gaming, all industries that reach young demographics.
“Many online gambling options will seem familiar to teens,” said Sarah Clark, University of Michigan pediatrics scientist and children’s health poll co-Director in a news release. “They feel like games kids have been playing on their phones, including features like bonus points and rewards.”
This makes it difficult for these young adults to differentiate between gambling’s “playing for fun” atmosphere and its “playing for money” intentions.
Some may argue that online gambling serves as a learning opportunity for students to prevent problem gambling later on in life. This easy access is provided during a time where children do not possess life savings, so their relationship with gambling is less high-stakes.
However, early habits can easily carry into adulthood, as teenagers may potentially build an unhealthy attachment to casino and sports gambling before even being able to gamble legally. Research shows that because children’s brains are not fully developed, they are more likely to take risk-seeking and risk-rewarding actions like gambling, making it much easier to build an addiction. And with no official governmental organizations aimed against problem gambling, this is currently an unrestricted area of danger for young demographics.
Gambling is now more accessible than ever, especially for students. The easy use of websites and apps on cell phones makes parental control difficult as well. More than ever before, it is crucial to be aware of the dangers gambling can pose for young people, just as the government did with alcohol and smoking in years past. If left disregarded, the influence of gambling will continue to grow beyond control.
