Why Teen Gambling Is a Growing Concern for Parents

Teen gambling is a growing concern for parents because betting has become legal in many more places since 2018, it now lives on the phone in your teen's pocket, and a large national survey released in October 2026 found that more than four in ten teens had gambled in the past year. Most of those teens will never develop a problem, but the share who do is large enough, and the ways to bet are new enough, that it's worth understanding before it shows up at home.

Many parents feel caught off guard by this topic, especially if gambling once meant a casino trip or a lottery ticket. Today it can mean a parlay placed in a group chat during a game, a prediction market on a teen's phone, or a casino-style game that looks like ordinary entertainment.

What changed with sports betting in 2018?

Sports betting changed in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the federal law stopping states from authorizing sports gambling was unconstitutional. In Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, decided May 14, 2018, the Court held that the provisions of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) that prohibit states from authorizing and licensing sports gambling violate the Constitution's anticommandeering rule (Supreme Court of the United States, 2018). The practical result is that each state now decides for itself whether to allow sports betting.

Many states have since legalized it, often through mobile apps, and every legal market sets its own minimum age and rules. For teens, the bigger shift is cultural. Betting lines now appear in sports broadcasts and conversations about games, and apps make it possible to place a bet in seconds. Even where teens are below the legal age, they may bet through friends, older siblings, offshore sites, or a parent's account, which our guide on sports betting apps and how teens get access explains in more detail. Newer products such as prediction markets add another layer, and our page on prediction markets explained for parents covers how they work.

How common is teen gambling?

Teen gambling is common, and a 2026 national survey found that 42.7% of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 had gambled in the past year. The survey, conducted by the Center for Gambling Studies at the Rutgers School of Social Work, asked 1,677 Americans ages 13 to 27 about 21 gambling activities, from bingo and raffles to sports betting and prediction markets, and found that among teen gamblers ages 13 to 17, about 11% were classified as high risk for problems (Rutgers University, 2026). The researchers described it as the first national prevalence study of U.S. adolescents and young adults in nearly 20 years.

Family matters a great deal in these numbers. In the same survey, 51.5% of teens ages 13 to 17 had a family or household member who gambled, and among teens classified as high risk, 75.5% had a family member who gambled and 61.2% had gambled with a family member (Rutgers University, 2026). The researchers also found that risk rose with how early and how often people bet and how many different activities they used.

Older research points the same way. A 2017 systematic review in the Journal of Gambling Studies looked at 44 studies conducted worldwide since 2000 and found that between 0.2% and 12.3% of young people met criteria for problem gambling, with the wide range reflecting differences in assessment tools, cut-offs, and timeframes (Calado, Alexandre & Griffiths, 2017). Those studies largely predate legal mobile sports betting in the United States, so they describe an earlier gambling environment.

Why are teens more vulnerable to gambling problems?

Teens may be more vulnerable to gambling problems because the parts of the brain that help with planning and weighing consequences are still developing during adolescence. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) explains that the brain finishes developing and maturing in the mid-to-late 20s, and that the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain behind the forehead, is one of the last parts to mature (NIMH, 2023). NIMH notes that this ongoing development might lead teens to take more risks when the social benefits seem to outweigh the possible consequences.

Gambling fits that pattern closely. Betting with friends on a game is social, fast, and exciting, and an early win can feel like proof of skill rather than luck. NIMH also points out that adolescence brings real strengths and that most teens go on to become healthy adults, so brain development is a reason for structure and conversation rather than alarm.

Gambling problems also tend to travel with other concerns. In the Rutgers survey, young people who gambled reported higher rates of alcohol use, drug use, and excessive social media use than those who didn't, and more than half of high-risk gamblers reported anxiety (Rutgers University, 2026). Our page on when substance use and mental health overlap explains why these patterns often show up together.

How can parents tell casual betting from a growing problem?

Parents can tell casual betting from a growing problem by watching whether gambling stays small and social or starts involving secrecy, borrowed money, and attempts to win back losses. A friendly bet on the Super Bowl is different from a teen who checks odds between classes and gets irritable when a game is on. The table below compares the two.

Our guide on signs your teen may be gambling goes through these in more detail, including the money and device clues parents often notice first.

How can parents talk to their teen about gambling?

Parents can talk to their teen about gambling by starting early, staying curious rather than accusing, and being honest about their own betting. The Rutgers researchers recommend prevention education starting in middle school, and a parent talking about it at home is part of that (Rutgers University, 2026). A few approaches tend to help:

1. Use a moment that's already happening. A betting ad during a game is a natural opening to ask, "Do people at school bet on games?"
2. Ask before you warn. Find out what your teen has seen and what their friends do before sharing your concerns.
3. Explain how the odds work. Teens often respond to the math, since sportsbooks and casino games are designed so the house comes out ahead over time.
4. Be honest about your own gambling. Given how closely family gambling tracks with teen gambling, it's worth looking at whether your teen sees you bet, and whether you've ever bet together.
5. Agree on phone and money boundaries. Turning on purchase controls and talking about apps is easier as part of a broader family plan, which our guide on setting phone boundaries without starting a war walks through.

If you find out your teen has been betting, try to stay calm long enough to understand how much, how often, and whether they've been chasing losses. A teen who feels interrogated tends to hide more, while one who feels heard is more likely to tell you if it's gotten out of hand.

When should parents get help for teen gambling?

Parents should get help when gambling involves secrecy, borrowed or missing money, chasing losses, or changes in mood, sleep, or school. This guide can help you notice patterns, but only a licensed professional can evaluate whether your teen has a gambling problem.

Keep talking at home if your teen has placed occasional small bets, is open with you about it, and is otherwise doing well. Set clear expectations, keep an eye on money and apps, and check in again in a few weeks.

Get support soon if your teen is betting often, hiding accounts, borrowing or taking money, or seems anxious or low when they can't bet. The National Council on Problem Gambling runs the National Problem Gambling Helpline, which you can call or text at 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738) or reach by online chat to connect with local resources (National Council on Problem Gambling, 2026). Your teen's pediatrician or a therapist who works with teens is also a good first call, especially if you're seeing anxiety, depression, or substance use alongside the gambling.

Act right away if gambling debt has led to threats, theft, or a crisis at home, or if your teen seems hopeless. If your teen talks about hurting themselves or not wanting to be alive, call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or call 911 if they are in immediate danger. Our page on crisis options for parents explains what happens when you call, and levels of care explained lays out the options if outpatient support isn't enough.

This article shares practical guidance for parents and is not medical advice. We're not clinicians or doctors. If your teen is struggling, contact a licensed mental health professional or your teen's doctor, and if you have a serious concern about their safety, call 911 or call or text 988. Editorial standards