Experts warn surge in online sports betting is drawing teens into gambling
Global News
Experts say easy-to-use betting apps and heavy advertising are fuelling a rise in sports gambling among teens, with some youths already reporting significant losses.
Online sports betting is emerging as a growing digital distraction among adolescents, particularly teenage boys, experts warn.
The multi-billion-dollar industry is expanding rapidly as betting platforms become increasingly accessible through smartphone apps. Online gambling is expected to generate US$8.7 billion by 2030, up from US$3.9 billion in 2024, according to data compiled by Grand View Research, with sports betting registering the fastest growth.
“You can just turn on your phone and then all of a sudden you can be betting hundreds of dollars,” student Alex Bergman from Montreal’s Dawson College told Global News on Thursday.
Another student at the college, who asked not to be identified, said he lost $2,000 through online betting, including sports gambling.
“It’s so accessible. And it feels like when you’re not gambling, you’re missing out on making money, and you just have this urge to keep gambling,” he said.
Dr. Jeff Derevensky of McGill University, director of the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-risk Behaviours, says sports betting among youths is becoming an epidemic.
“I think we need to raise more awareness as a public health issue and as a mental health issue,” Derevensky told Global News in an interview. He says stronger regulations are needed.
“Advertising, accessibility, availability will breed more individuals with gambling problems,” he said.
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