More than 40% of American teens ages 13 to 17 say they’ve gambled in the past year, according to a survey published Wednesday, raising red flags about the popularity of betting among minors.
uncertain
they → say → minors
Researchers from Rutgers University’s Center for Gambling Studies surveyed nearly 1,700 Americans between 13 and 27, and found that 52.5% of the respondents said they had gambled.
asserted
they → survey → respondents
“We are living in a time where anyone can have a casino or sports book in their pocket,” said Lia Nower, the director of the Rutgers center and lead author of the new report.
asserted
Nower → live → report
“Now teens who should be playing sports are betting on them, often with family members.”
asserted
who → play → members
Nower and her colleagues conducted the survey over the spring and early summer, describing the effort as the first national gambling prevalence study of U.S. adolescents and young adults in nearly 20 years.
asserted
Nower → conduct → years
The report does not offer a comparison to past gambling trends, so it is difficult to assess whether the results represent an increase.
asserted
results → offer → increase
In an interview, Nower referenced a 2007 study in the Journal of Gambling Studies, which found that 68% of respondents between 14 and 21 had gambled in the past year.
asserted
% → reference → year
The numbers can’t be compared apples to apples, however, as the methodologies and age ranges differed.
asserted
methodologies → compare → apples
Still, the prevalence of problem gambling in the new report appears to be higher than in the 2007 study.
asserted
prevalence → appear → study
Of the respondents who reported gambling activity, nearly 40% “showed symptoms of problem gambling,” the report says, and 10% could be considered “high-risk problem gamblers.”
uncertain
% → report → gambling
Among teens 17 and under who said they gambled, about 11% were classified as “high risk for problems,” according to the report.
uncertain
% → say → report
“Gambling is no longer confined to casinos and lottery tickets.
asserted
Gambling → confine → casinos
It is increasingly embedded in video games, sports broadcasts and other products young people can access,” Nower said.
asserted
Nower → embed → games
“We have worried this would increase rates of problem gambling among youth.
asserted
this → worry → youth
Now we know.
asserted
we → know → ?
It does.”
asserted
It → do → ?
She described the findings as cause for alarm.
asserted
She → describe → alarm
“Gambling has an operant conditioning component that results in some people getting addicted over time,” Nower said.
asserted
Nower → have → time
“Most people who start young bet small amounts with friends or family and then increase the number of activities, frequency and amounts wagered over time.”
asserted
who → start → time
The Rutgers researchers classified gambling fairly broadly to include 21 activities, such as street games, lottery tickets, games of skill, cryptocurrency trading and prediction markets — “anything where money is wagered,” Nower said.
asserted
Nower → classify → skill
That definition was based on a similar one in a 2017 study, she added: “Staking money or something of material value on an event having an uncertain outcome in the hope of winning additional money and/or material goods.”
asserted
she → base → money
The most common gambling activity among those surveyed was scratch-off tickets, followed by bingo and lottery tickets.
asserted
activity → survey → bingo
Of the respondents who reported gambling, around 20% said they had participated in sports betting.
asserted
they → report → betting
A smaller share said they bet in prediction markets (just over 6% of gamblers).
asserted
they → say → gamblers
It’s been more than eight years since the Supreme Court issued the landmark ruling that struck down a federal law that prohibited states from allowing gambling on sports.
asserted
that → issue → sports
The change touched off an explosion of betting across America.
asserted
change → touch → America
Mobile gambling apps, which include standard casino options and sports, have become particularly popular in recent years.
asserted
which → include → years
Baseball fans who watched the World Series over the last week were inundated with ads for prediction markets like Polymarket, Novig and Kalshi.
asserted
who → watch → Polymarket
The trading platform Webull occupied a spot on the Tampa Bay Rays uniform.
asserted
platform → occupy → uniform
Nower said her findings “should be a wake-up call for parents, educators, health professionals and policymakers.”
asserted
findings → say → parents
“We cannot wait until young people reach adulthood to begin addressing gambling-related harm,” she said.
asserted
she → wait → harm
“By that point, we will have very high rates of problem gambling.
asserted
we → have → gambling
Prevention must start earlier, screening must be broader, and public policy must recognize that the gambling environment has changed dramatically.”
asserted
environment → start → ?
The Aporia
