The Rise of Sports Betting Addiction Among Young Adults: A Growing Crisis

The roar of the crowd, the thrill of victory – these are the experiences that draw many to sports. But for a growing number of young adults, this passion has morphed into a dangerous addiction: sports gambling. Fueled by legalization, readily accessible apps, and a culture of pervasive advertising, sports betting is sweeping across college campuses and beyond, leaving a trail of debt, anxiety, and shattered lives.

Saul Malek’s story is a stark illustration of this growing problem. He was a lifelong Houston Rockets fan, and the energy of a close game was pure excitement. But one night in 2018, as Eric Gordon hit a clutch shot to give the Rockets a crucial playoff lead, Malek’s elation was laced with dread. He had bet $1,500 on the Warriors, and the Rockets’ victory meant he owed money he didn’t have.

That night was the beginning of a two-year gambling addiction that would consume Malek’s life. "My life was centered around gambling," he recalls. "If I wasn’t placing a bet, I was thinking of the next one." At his lowest point, he was down $25,000.

Malek’s experience is not unique. Since the legalization of sports betting in 2018, an alarming number of young people are wagering on games. A 2023 study from the National Council on Problem Gambling found that 67% of all college students are betting on sports. Experts believe that number is even higher today, thanks to the widespread availability of betting apps and the growing market.

The easy access to online sportsbooks is a major contributor to the rise in addiction. Before the legalization of mobile betting, individuals had to physically visit casinos or bookmakers to place their bets. Now, with a few taps on their smartphones, young people can gamble anytime, anywhere.

Heather Eshleman, the prevention manager at the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling, has witnessed a significant increase in requests from educators for presentations on sports betting addiction. She notes that the 1-800 number her organization runs has seen a surge in calls from 18 to 20-year-olds, and calls from 21 to 25-year-olds have tripled in the last three years.

One of the key factors contributing to the vulnerability of young adults to gambling addiction is their still-developing brains. Executive functioning, abstract thinking, and decision-making skills continue to mature through age 25. According to Dr. Timothy Fong, the co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program, this developmental stage leaves young adults with a significant deficit in their ability to cope with the highs and lows of gambling.

"A (teenagers) brain doesn’t have impulse control," Fong explains. "It doesn’t have the ability to recover from losses quickly. It knows, ‘I want money, I want excitement, I want things that my friends have. I want to prove that I’m super cool to my friends.’"

Young gamblers also often mistakenly equate success in gambling with skill. Rob Minnick, a 26-year-old in recovery from gambling addiction, says that betting on sports felt like a "no brainer" in high school. He was earning minimum wage scooping ice cream, and the prospect of winning $100 on a parlay was "mind blowing."

"I had an understanding of the odds of the games, yet I felt very confident that I would be the exception to the rule," Minnick says.

For Jose Mendoza of Kansas City, Missouri, sports betting became a way to cope with his father’s death. He started gambling at 23, hiding his habit from his family. He recalls comforting his grieving mother at night while secretly placing parlays on his phone.

The 2018 Supreme Court ruling that overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) paved the way for the widespread legalization of sports betting. Today, sports betting is legal in 39 states and the District of Columbia.

The gambling industry has capitalized on this new landscape, with companies like DraftKings, Fanatics, and BetMGM offering incentives to attract new customers. The shift from brick-and-mortar casinos to mobile apps has made gambling more accessible than ever before.

"For years, I would see patients who struggle with physically going to the casino, driving 90 minutes or an hour to go," says Fong. "A lot of these folks I see now, they’ve never set foot inside a casino. The only casino they’ve known is on their phone."

The normalization of sports betting in popular culture is another factor contributing to the problem. Jordan, who started betting at 15, says that partying, alcohol, and sports betting went hand-in-hand in college. He could bet on everything, from the over-unders to prop bets.

"It’s unavoidable to hear other people talk about it," Jordan says.

Minnick compares the ubiquity of sports betting in the male college experience to the phenomenon of binge drinking. Even if young adults aren’t actively betting, they are constantly exposed to gambling ads and betting odds during major sporting events.

The consequences of sports betting addiction can be devastating. Like substance addiction, gambling addiction affects brain chemistry, and many mistakenly view it as a moral failing or lack of willpower.

Austin, Jordan’s father, initially struggled to understand his son’s addiction. He and Jordan’s mother bailed their son out of debt in high school, but the problem spiraled out of control in college. They eventually realized that they had inadvertently enabled their son’s addiction by bailing him out of debt.

"The perception is it’s 70-year-old guys who are horse betting, sitting in a (Gamblers Anonymous) meeting," Austin says. "Sports betting, especially, has transcended this profile."

Sam DeMello, a former gambling addict, has founded Evive, a digital therapy app specifically for gambling addiction. He believes that it’s crucial to meet young people where they are.

"Every person addicted to gambling says, ‘If I hit the jackpot today, I make back all of the money that I lost over the last decade, and none of the harm is here,’" DeMello says. "To get somebody into abstinence, you have to kill that fantasy."

Malek, who has been in recovery since 2019, emphasizes the importance of listening to recovered addicts. He acknowledges that changing one’s mindset is a process that cannot be accomplished through willpower alone.

For those looking to curb their sports betting, Eshleman recommends using self-exclusion methods, such as setting time and deposit limits on betting apps. Self-exclusion widgets like Gamban, BetBlocker, and GamBlock can block access to accounts for a specific period.

Minnick advises young men to be mindful of their motivations for gambling. He suggests that gamblers should regularly question why they are betting and be alert to any signs of habitual behavior.

Young adults struggling with responsible gambling can text or call the National Problem Gambling Helpline 24 hours a day at 1-800-GAMBLER or find a Gamblers Anonymous meeting.

As sports betting continues to gain popularity, it is essential to raise awareness of the risks and provide support for those struggling with addiction. The stories of Malek, Minnick, Mendoza, and Jordan serve as cautionary tales, reminding us that the thrill of the game can quickly turn into a destructive and life-altering addiction.