Teen Gambling Rises: 42.7% Played in the Past Year

Teen gambling in the U.S. is no longer a fringe issue

A new Rutgers University study paints a sobering picture of youth gambling in America: 42.7% of adolescents ages 13 to 17 said they gambled in the past year. Across the broader 13-to-27 age range, the figure climbed to 52.5%. That means gambling is not just reaching legal-age adults; it is already deeply embedded in the habits of many minors and young adults.

For poker and the wider gaming ecosystem, this matters because early exposure can shape how young people view risk, money, and repeat play. In a market where poker rooms, sportsbooks, casinos, and app-based products sit side by side, the line between entertainment and harmful behavior can blur quickly.

What the Rutgers study actually measured

The report, titled “Adolescent and Young Adult Gambling in the United States,” surveyed people ages 13 to 27 and assessed problem-gambling risk across the sample. Among adolescents, 10.8% were classified as high risk for problem gambling.

That number is especially important because it signals more than casual experimentation. Among everyone in the study who wagered, nearly 40% showed some level of problem-gambling risk.

The researchers concluded that gambling-related harm can begin during adolescence, cut across demographic groups, and extend well beyond traditional casino play.

Why youth gambling has expanded so quickly

The growth did not happen in a vacuum. Since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the near-total federal ban on sports betting outside Nevada in 2018, gambling options have multiplied across the country. Young people now encounter betting in far more places and formats than previous generations did.

• online casinos and mobile wagering apps;
• sports betting platforms;
• land-based casinos and poker clubs;
• newer products such as prediction markets and social/sweepstakes casinos.

Accessibility is the key issue. The easier it is to deposit, bet, and repeat, the more likely impulsive behavior can turn into a pattern. That is why prevention and education matter as much as regulation.

Who is most at risk: gender, race, and income

The study found that high-risk gambling was nearly identical among males and females, with about 10% of each gender falling into that category. Males, however, were more likely to land in low- and moderate-risk groups.

• 17.7% among Black respondents;
• 12.8% among Hispanic respondents;
• 6.4% among white respondents.

Household income also mattered. Roughly 30% of respondents from households earning under $10,000 annually were classified as high risk. In households earning $10,000 to under $20,000, the figure was 22.8%.

These gaps show that gambling harm is not evenly distributed. Financial stress, environment, and access all shape exposure and outcomes.

Mixed-venue gambling appears to deepen the risk

One of the clearest findings was that using both online and land-based gambling channels was linked to greater involvement and more severe problems. Among high-risk problem gamblers, 65.4% used both formats.

More than half of those high-risk respondents reported gambling at least weekly. That is a strong sign of habitual play rather than occasional entertainment.

For players, the takeaway is simple: risk is often amplified by combining formats. A user may start on a phone, move to a casino, and then add poker or promotions & bonuses that encourage more frequent deposits and faster cycling of bankroll.

Expert analysis: what this means for players and the industry

This study should be read as a public-health warning, not just a market statistic. If nearly half of teens have already gambled, the industry is dealing with an access problem that starts before adulthood and cannot be solved by age checks alone.

• operators need sharper risk detection and more meaningful intervention tools;
• schools and parents should treat gambling literacy as part of financial education;
• regulators must look beyond casinos and sportsbooks to prediction markets and sweepstakes-style products;
• players should build strict limits early, especially when gambling is tied to stress or chasing losses.

For poker players in particular, the lesson is about discipline. Poker involves skill, but the habits that surround it — impulse control, bankroll management, and emotional regulation — are crucial. Resources like a poker school are valuable not only for strategy, but for building a healthier relationship with variance and risk.

DraftKings, responsibility messaging, and legal pressure

The study arrives as industry leaders face more scrutiny. DraftKings CEO Jason Robins recently said parents should talk to their children about gambling, even if they do not live in a gambling-heavy environment.

His comments came amid a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company uses artificial intelligence to target customers who may be problem gamblers. DraftKings has denied those claims. The company is also facing a similar lawsuit in California, where plaintiffs argue its prediction market platform enables illegal gambling.

That combination of research, lawsuits, and public debate is pushing the industry toward a tougher conversation: growth alone is not enough if product design encourages risky behavior among young users.

Bottom line: prevention has to start earlier

The Rutgers findings make one thing clear: youth gambling is now a mainstream issue in the United States, and problem-gambling risk is already visible in adolescence. The earlier the exposure, the more important education, boundaries, and responsible gaming become.

For players, that means discipline and limits. For operators, it means taking responsibility seriously rather than treating it as a slogan. And for the broader market, it is a reminder that sustainable growth depends on trust as much as on handle and revenue.

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