What do you think of when you hear gambling? Do you think of blackjack, or risking it all on red? Personally, as a 20-year-old college student, I think of someone guessing whether an athlete can go over or under on points, goals, saves, etc. Sports betting may not have crossed your mind if you’re not a part of Gen Z, but I’m guessing you’ve at least heard of its growing popularity.
But why the sudden interest? The root is in the marketing. In one of the world’s biggest soccer leagues, the English Premier League, 11 of the 20 teams are sponsored by sports betting companies. In the States, the NBA (National Basketball Association) holds DraftKings and FanDuel as “Official Gaming Partners.” They are also sponsored by 12 other betting companies as “authorized gaming operators.” This is by no means accidental; this is multiple-million-dollar companies praying on the innocence of teenagers, not fully understanding the risk before they take part.
We’ve seen this before, with vapes, nicotine pouches, and more. The market for teens will always be easy for major companies. It doesn’t stop at jersey sponsors or commercial breaks. It lives where this generation breathes, with “locks of the day” on TikTok, Instagram, etc. We see so many celebratory screenshots, but hiding behind that are hundreds of thousands of dollars lost, the empty bank accounts, or the “lock” that will be the last-ditch effort to just break even.
Sports betting isn’t designed to be a one-time decision, mirroring in-person gambling. Open any betting app, and you’ll see the same promises over and over. FanDuel and Underdog promote offers such as “Bet $5 Get $300 If Bet Wins,” and “Up to $1000 bonus funds when you make your first deposit.” One bet turns into another, especially when the money doesn’t even leave the app. A win equals the money going straight into the next wager. And when you lose, it invites you right back to where you started. This constant cycle is built to be ignored by users; it’s built to keep people playing longer than they are meant to.
Sports betting is currently illegal in 11 states, but even in these places, people will find a grey area and manage to continue. Sports betting doesn’t need to be illegal to be worth questioning. Ask yourself the question: why is this everywhere? Why is this marketed so heavily to young people? When gambling becomes this easy, constant, and invisible, who is it really designed for? And who pays the price?