Gambling is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. According to data collected by the Federal Trade Commission, as stated in their “Daily News” press release, the global online gambling market size was valued at 63.53 billion United States Dollars (USD) in 2022, and is expected to grow quickly at a compound annual growth rate of 11.7% from 2023 to 2030.

Many state constitutions have banned gambling. I believe that the ban on all forms of betting in California has led to a lack of regulatory framework, leading to bad gambling practices and widespread underage gambling. This environment is reminiscent of the Prohibition era in the United States, which lasted from 1920 to 1933. 

During Prohibition, manufacturing and selling alcohol was outlawed; however, underage drinking and illegal production of potentially unsafe substances was rampant because without legalization, federally enforced health codes and regulations cannot exist. Once drinking was legalized under the 21st Amendment, consumers returned to drinking from federally regulated and trustworthy sources, and children were better prevented from acquiring alcohol. According to data collected by the New York Times, many have argued that a legalization of gambling similar to alcohol will allow for greater regulation, and thus better prevention of underaged gambling.

Today, cases of underage gambling are prevalent, especially in sports betting. In fact, sports betting is increasingly calibrated to target younger audiences who possess immature financial responsibility. Sports enterprises take advantage of large populations of engaged fans who are often drawn to sports betting as an extension of fandom. Certain teams or players with consistent histories of success give gamblers the illusion that statistics can be utilized to improve your chances of success. Companies have accounted for this, however, and they employ powerful algorithms to ensure their statistical advantage. 

I believe sports betting is dangerous as modern middle and high schoolers now have what can only be described as “casinos in their pockets,” which have the ability to notify you constantly to bring you back in. According to a BYU study, younger people on average are far less financially responsible than adults. As a result, young sports fans are prone to falling victim to these apps.

While many sports betting regulations have been enacted federally and in other states, it is still a topic that has gotten very little publicity. Due to the availability and efficiency of these apps, it will likely remain virtually impossible to stop the spread of sports betting. I believe that this industry will continue to grow and become more of a problem for youth. We need to start a conversation now on how we can, through legalization and regulation, mitigate the dangerous practices that are destructive to many adolescent lives.