A new Rutgers University study is raising concerns about underage gambling, finding that nearly 43% of teenagers ages 13 to 17 gambled during the past year. Researchers also found that approximately 11% of teenage gamblers were classified as high risk for problem gambling, highlighting the potential consequences of early exposure. The study surveyed 1,677 Americans between the ages of 13 and 27.
The Rutgers study found that 42.7% of teenagers ages 13 to 17 had gambled at least once during the previous 12 months. The activities examined included sports betting, raffles, bingo, games of skill, and other forms of gambling.
While some of those activities don’t fall under the same restrictions as regulated sports betting, the findings suggest that gambling exposure often begins well before teenagers reach the legal gambling age.
Across all respondents aged 13 to 27, 52.5% reported gambling in the past year. Among those who gambled, 39.5% displayed at least some symptoms of problem gambling, while 10.3% were classified as high-risk problem gamblers.
Lia Nower, director of the Rutgers Center for Gambling Studies, expressed concern about how accessible gambling has become through smartphones and other digital platforms. She also pointed to the growing relationship between sports and gambling, which can expose teenagers to betting at an early age.
The findings come as lawmakers consider additional ways to keep minors away from regulated gambling platforms. One proposal would introduce facial recognition requirements for online sportsbooks, adding another layer of identity verification to help prevent underage betting.
One of the more concerning findings involved the relationship between teenage gambling and gambling activity within the household.
Among high-risk gamblers ages 13 to 17, 75.5% reported having a family member who gambled. Another 66.3% believed someone in their family had a gambling problem, while 61.2% said they had participated in gambling activities alongside a family member.
Researchers found that young people who believed someone in their household had a gambling problem were more than five times as likely to be classified as high-risk gamblers.
These findings suggest that gambling habits within families can play an important role in shaping how teenagers view gambling. Young people who regularly see family members placing bets may become more comfortable with gambling themselves, even before they’re legally permitted to participate in certain activities.
The Rutgers researchers are recommending several measures aimed at reducing gambling-related harm among younger Americans.
One of their main proposals is to introduce gambling prevention education in middle schools. Rather than waiting until teenagers approach the legal gambling age, researchers believe students should learn about gambling risks before they become regularly exposed to betting.
Informing youth at a grassroots level about risks that come with gambling, especially when they start at a young age, can act as a deterrent to underage gambling.
