How America’s Gambling Boom Is Impacting College Students

There’s no doubt that the gambling industry in the USA has exploded significantly over the last few years, with more states continuing to legalize sports betting.

Now though, experts are already warning that gambling addiction is becoming a significant concern, particularly amongst college students. This comes as the most recent research suggests 6% of college students have gambling addictions.

Research has shown that teenagers and college-aged young adults are more impulsive and have a higher risk of developing gambling disorders than adults.

America’s gambling industry has taken flight quickly

In 2018, the Supreme Court gave the go-ahead for states to legalize betting on football, basketball, baseball, and other sports. This meant the 1992 law that barred state-authorized sports gambling was struck down in a 6-3 ruling.

Ahead of the ruling, a research firm estimated that 32 states would likely offer sports betting within five years. Seven years on, 38 states and the District of Columbia have legalized sports betting in some form.

The U.S. commercial gaming industry generated record-breaking revenue for a fourth consecutive year in 2024, with iGaming and mobile sports betting driving the strong growth.

According to the American Gaming Association, 28 out of 38 states set annual records for commercial gaming revenue, and a massive $72.04 billion in commercial gaming revenue was generated in 2024. This is a 7.5% increase from what was seen in 2023.

College students, sports, and gambling: March Madness

This March really highlighted how far the gambling market has come in the US, with operators running huge promotions during March Madness.

This focuses solely on college basketball tournaments, which have become big business for sports betting companies, with several running campaigns and promotional offers specific to the time period.

The tournament is watched by a whole range of ages, with The Chicago School states one in five American adults will place a bet on the NCAA tournament. The company TAL, however, warns that March Madness, “with its bracket pools and betting opportunities, can serve as a gateway for some students to develop gambling problems.”

They go on to state that adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the influence of sports betting “due to their inclination to take risks, passion for sports, and sense of invincibility.”

Are college students surrounded by gambling advertisements?

According to research, a huge 63% of on-campus students recall seeing betting ads, which is said to be a higher rate than the general population, and higher than those who commute to campus or attend virtually.

When asked whether the advertisements the respondents had seen or heard made them more or less likely to engage in sports betting activities, 14.5% answered ‘much more likely’ and 38.3% said ‘somewhat more likely.’

The concern about advertising and sports betting was highlighted back in March as late-night talk show host John Oliver delivered a monologue expressing worries.

“The influence of these companies on sports now is just unmistakable and it is not just the ads, logos of the companies are on the field, or the floor, on the uniforms…”

“You’re not crazy for thinking those ads are inescapable,” said Oliver about the industry that has grown substantially.

Sports betting: ‘This is the first generation where this is normal’

“There are a lot of kids that are gambling,” said Felicia Grondin, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey.

Requests for support through the New Jersey-based helpline have more than doubled over the years, and it’s reported that this isn’t unique.

“Calls to gambling helplines in most states in America are up, by sheer numbers,” said Timothy Fong, co-director of the gambling studies program at UCLA. “More and more younger clients” – aged 25 and under – are seeking treatment, he added in a conversation with The Guardian.

Now, it’s easier than ever to place a sports bet as it can be done so by simply clicking a few buttons on a mobile device. This is a huge change from what was seen pre-2018.

Brad Ruderman, of the Beit T’Shuvah treatment center in Los Angeles, California, told the publisher that smartphones have “made all avenues available to all people.

“This is the first generation where this is normal.” He suggested that gambling is “getting to be a younger activity” and commented on how brains do not typically finish developing until people reach their mid-20s. “They’re very susceptible to dopamine, endorphin rushes.”

The executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, Keith Whyte, spoke to NBC News about gambling addiction: “We believe, nationwide, the rate and severity of gambling problems have increased across the United States since 2018.

“We have every reason to believe the growth of online sports betting is a major contributing factor to the increase in gambling programs.”

It was also reported that calls to gambling addiction hotlines are up, with callers skewing younger. A 49-year-old member of Gamblers Anonymous told the publisher: “In meetings, I’m seeing people younger and younger. When I first started meeting, I was the youngest. I was in my early 40s.”

Should more provisions be put in place to help gambling addiction?

With the popularity of sports betting having increased significantly since 2018, some suggest more needs to be done in terms of treatment and intervention measures.

During a radio show on NPR, Cait Huble from the National Council on Problem Gambling spoke with a reporter about ongoing concerns.

“Gambling is several decades behind in terms of public opinion and recognition of it as a mental health condition,” the expert warns.

Huble continues by stating that “there’s no federal funding for gambling addiction,” with funding for this varying significantly from state to state. Some, however, do put aside money into treatment and intervention measures.

Michelle Malkin, director of the Gambling Research & Policy Initiative at East Carolina University is quoted within the piece suggesting more needs to be done.

“We don’t just need resources for the people who have a gambling disorder. We need to be doing the outreach and education early.”

She goes on to warn that gambling is becoming a growing issue on college campuses: “When it comes to, like, inpatient, which people need for gambling, just like drugs and alcohol, there are fewer than five places in the whole country that specialize truly in gambling.”

While more could always be done, there are a number of support options available for those who are seeking them in the United States.

Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram

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