Gambling Risks Widespread Among U.S. Youth, Study Finds 5.4% High-Risk

A new national prevalence study, the first in nearly 20 years, reveals widespread gambling activity and associated risks among U.S. adolescents and young adults. Researchers at the Center for Gambling Studies at the Rutgers School of Social Work found that more than half (52.5%) of Americans aged 13 to 27 reported gambling in the past year. This included 42.7% of teens aged 13 to 17, despite being below the legal age for regulated gambling activities.

Lia Nower, director of the center and lead author, highlighted the increasing accessibility of gambling, stating, "We are living in a time where anyone can have a casino or sportsbook in their pocket." The study examined 21 gambling activities, encompassing both online and in-person participation, from traditional bingo and raffles to modern sports betting, cryptocurrency trading, esports betting, and prediction markets. The survey of 1,677 young Americans identified 5.4% of all respondents as high-risk problem gamblers, a classification equivalent to gambling addiction in clinical settings. Among those who gambled, 39.5% showed some symptoms of problem gambling, and 10.3% were high-risk, with approximately 11% of teenage gamblers (13-17) falling into the high-risk category.

Nower emphasized these findings as "a wake-up call for parents, educators, health professionals and policymakers," noting that gambling is now embedded in video games, sports broadcasts, and other products accessible to youth. The study found that risk begins early and affects both genders, with similar high-risk problem gambling rates for females (10.7%) and males (9.9%) among gamblers. Pronounced racial and ethnic differences were observed: Black respondents reported the highest participation (63.9%), and among gamblers, 17.7% of Black respondents and 12.8% of Hispanic respondents were high-risk, compared to 6.4% of white respondents.

Socioeconomic status also played a role, with lower household incomes correlating with higher rates of gambling problems. Nearly 30% of gamblers from households earning less than $10,000 annually were classified as high-risk, alongside 22.8% from households earning between $10,000 and under $20,000. Family influence was a significant factor; among adolescents aged 13 to 17 classified as high-risk, 75.5% had a family member who gambled, 66.3% believed a family member had a gambling problem, and 61.2% had gambled with a family member. Those who believed a household member had a gambling problem were more than five times as likely to be high-risk gamblers.

The research also highlighted the risks associated with newer gambling-like activities. Around 40% of those who bet on prediction markets and 41% of social casino players were classified as high-risk problem gamblers, a rate nearly four times higher than for those gambling on other activities. The study supported the concept of an additive effect on problem gambling risk, indicating that earlier and more frequent betting, across more activities and settings (online or in-person), increases the likelihood of problems. For instance, 65.4% of high-risk problem gamblers used both online and in-person venues, and 52.5% gambled weekly or more, participating in an average of 6.7 activities compared to 2.7 for gamblers without problems.

Problem gambling was additionally linked to higher rates of substance use and mental health concerns. Compared to non-gamblers, gamblers reported higher rates of alcohol use (44.6% vs. 25.9%), binge drinking (25.6% vs. 10.5%), and drug use (26.7% vs. 17.6%). Furthermore, high-risk problem gamblers showed elevated rates of anxiety (52.8%), depression (38.4%), and suicidal ideation (13.1%). The Center for Gambling Studies recommends starting prevention education in middle school, strengthening oversight of emerging gambling-like products, and establishing a federal gambling regulatory agency to set national minimum standards.

What to watch: Policymakers and educators may consider new strategies for youth gambling prevention and regulation.

Editor's note: The draft is a well-structured and comprehensive summary of the study's findings, accurately reflecting the provided text.