The activity of playing games of chance for money, commonly referred to as gambling, is no longer confined to casinos and lottery tickets. In 2018 the US Supreme Court allowed states to legalize sports betting which opened the door for online options accessible to anyone with the internet and a credit card. Online gambling has been an issue among adults for years, but studies show addiction among youth (specifically boys) is on a concerning uprise. Popular YouTubers, video games and social media influencers, as well as ads are credited with creating exposure and education of this crippling habit to children as young as six years old.
Current statistics
Common Sense Media published a study earlier this year with astounding statistics about current gambling trends among boys. Some noteworthy statistic are highlighted below but the article can be read in it’s entirety here Betting on Boys: Understanding Gambling Among Adolescent Boys
Thirty-six percent of boys age 11 to 17 report gambling in the past year, rising significantly from 32% of boys age 11 to 49% of those age 17 source
Twelve percent of boys say they have engaged in sports related gambling. Older teens (age 14 to 17) report slightly higher involvement source
Online gaming is the most common context in which boys encounter gambling-like systems, with 23% of all boys participating in game-based activities that mimic gambling source
More than half (54%) of boys who participate in gaming related gambling spent REAL money source