Online Gambling is Likely on the Rise at a High School Near You
Published: June 23, 2025
Gone are the days when gambling was confined to brick-and-mortar locations designed to keep underage people out. Today, gambling is everywhere — on television, on their smartphones, and especially in sports culture. As a result, teens are gambling more than ever before.
In Ohio, 38 percent of teenagers have reported spending money on in-game gambling. That statistic doesn’t even include other forms of gambling, such as sports betting or online poker. Research shows that the earlier a young person starts gambling, the more likely they are to develop a gambling disorder later in life.
One of the key drivers of the rise in high schooler gambling is casino-style games and poker apps. Many high schoolers can easily bypass age restrictions to download them. It’s not uncommon for students to place bets with their friends during lunch or even in class. In response, some states, including Ohio, are implementing phone restrictions in schools to curb this behavior, along with other concerns like texting and social media use.
But what happens when the school day ends and teens get their phones back? That’s where parents and caregivers having the conversation come into play.
To help you learn more and get started, here’s some more information on youth gambling:
- What is it? Gambling is any act that involves risking money or valuables on the outcome of a game or contest that is mostly determined by chance.
- How common is it? Gambling is more popular than ever before, especially through video games, apps, lottery tickets, sports bets, internet challenges, or even card games.
- Why does it matter? Gambling comes with real risks for youth. Young people who gamble are at a higher risk of developing a gambling disorder. They’re also more likely to experience depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicidal thoughts.
Despite the rise in youth gambling, there’s still something you can do about it. Talking to the high schooler in your life about the risks of gambling is a great step. You can access our parent discussion guide to initiate that conversation at ChangeTheGameOhio.org/for-parents
And if a young person you know is experiencing gambling harms, you can always reach out to the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline. Make the call at 1-800-589-9966 or text 4HOPE to 741741. Trained and understanding specialists are available to talk 24/7 with no strings attached. Ohio also offers virtual telehealth services at no cost for people who don’t have access to local counselors. Access services at OhioGTN.org