Sports Betting Affects the Whole Family
Published: July 14, 2025
Summer means baseball season — and sports betting advertising during the MLB All-Star game. Regardless of your intentions, the youth in your house are being exposed to it and, by extension, sports betting itself. With sports betting becoming an everyday presence, bettors and non-bettors alike must take the time to educate themselves about the risks so they can help prevent youth gambling.
Why should you help prevent youth gambling? One simple reason: youth gambling is harmful. Studies show that children who are exposed to gambling at a young age experience a higher risk of having a gambling disorder when they get older — and in Ohio, 38% of teenagers have already reported spending real-world money on in-game gambling. So, stepping in right now to prevent youth gambling will help Ohio’s young people grow up in a healthy way.
In addition to preventing youth from gambling, keeping your own play responsible supports a healthy lifestyle for everyone in your family. Excessive gambling and gambling disorders have been linked to a wide variety of poor health outcomes, like relationship trouble. For instance, certain sports betting events have been linked to higher rates of intimate partner violence, and people who experience a gambling disorder have a divorce rate twice as high as the general population. Keeping your play responsible helps keep your relationship healthy, which also benefits the youth in your life.
So how can you prevent youth gambling while keeping your own gambling responsible? Try these tips from Change the Game Ohio and Pause Before You Play.
- Set limits — for you and them: Watching a game, like the All-Star Game, can be a fun family activity. By limiting your betting to times when you’re away from young people and being careful about what young people are exposed to, you are keeping your own play responsible and helping prevent youth gambling.
- Head outside: Summer only comes around once a year. Watching sports on TV is great, but playing them outside is even better! If tossing the ball around isn’t your speed, go for an outdoor adventure at one of Ohio’s 76 beautiful state parks.
- Have the conversation: With sports betting advertising occurring during all kinds of sporting events, your children may have questions. Be ready to discuss gambling and betting — and why it’s not appropriate for youth. Check out our parent guide for tips.
- Raise awareness: Gambling is affecting families across all of Ohio. You can help spread the word to prevent youth gambling with the resources on ChangeTheGameOhio.org, such as information about the issue, a toolkit for educators, and much more.
Want to learn more about the effort to help prevent youth gambling? Follow us at @Pausebeforeyouplay_oh on Instagram, @PBYP_OH on X, and Pause Before You Play on Facebook.
And if you or someone you know might be experiencing a gambling disorder, don’t hesitate to call the free and confidential Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or text 4HOPE to 741741. Trained and understanding specialists are ready to take your call 24/7. And now, the Ohio Gambling Telehealth Network offers virtual telehealth services at no cost.