US Study Suggests Thousands of Underage Boys Gambled in 2025

Age verification and gambling eligibility are among the most important aspects of gambling law that regulators enforce to ensure minors don’t end up getting hooked to real money gambling. But a report released by Common Sense Media states that there are thousands of underage gamblers in America, and that is just based on states where such reports are not confidential. American youth, some aged as young as 11, are finding alternative methods to beat the age verification requirements to gain access to sports bets.

They are using betting accounts that belong to family or friends, creating accounts using their parents’ IDs, and some have even accessed offshore sites with no ID verification and therefore easily bypassable mandatory age protocols. It is quite alarming, with one report suggesting a 1 year old had placed a bet. Kids and teens are finding loopholes, even in the most robust of sports betting states, and the onus lies on sportsbooks and regulators to up their game in guiding minors away from sportsbooks.

Youth Gambling Problem in the US

The scandalous report published by Common Sense Media paints a pretty uncomfortable picture of the betting industry in the US. It sourced the data from gambling authorities in different states, but only a handful of them actually took part in the survey. States like New Jersey, New York, Illinois and Michigan kept tight-lipped on their sports betting data.

Basically, the key findings stated that 36% of boys aged 11-17 gambled in 2025. Breaking it down further, 51% of 16 year olds, and 49% of 17 years gambled on sports. Around 45% were exposed to sports betting online, and those kids who actively watch gambling content spent $72 a year on average, compared to 33 cents by non-viewers. The boys who were questioned stated that the gambling marketing content “just started showing up” on their social media feeds. Only 24% experienced it through sportsbook peer sharing media – like Share Your Bet functions.

For all boys questioned, an average of $54 was spent in the last year, and boys with higher losses were three times more likely to use their parent’s credit cards without permission. The report went on to break down the spending by gambling activity, with 34% of boys who gambled in the last year participating in sports betting.

How Kids Are Accessing Sportsbooks

DraftKings and FanDuel collectively banned over 5,000 attempts from minors to sign up in 2025. The KYC security protocols during sign-up at the sportsbooks make it impossible for minors to gain access. For someone to sign up to a licensed sportsbook or even an online casino in America, they must verify their ID. That means, submitting the last 4 digits of their SSN, or uploading a picture of a photo ID document. So minors cannot join sportsbooks by themselves. But the report indicated that minors are either using their parents’ betting accounts or creating accounts using their parents’ ID.

However, the latter is made all the more difficult by biometric authentication upon signup, in the form of selfies required after submitting the data. The protocol for sportsbooks suspecting accounts of misuse is to ban the account, or in cases where it is difficult to determine, to limit the accounts. But, from the eye of an operator, how is it possible to determine suspected fraud from a bona fide sports bet placed by an adult who understands the risks?

Companies can track phones and use geo-location technology to verify a user’s location, potentially flagging up suspicious activity. They can also flag bank accounts, and look for discrepancies such as someone depositing using a bank account that isn’t in their own name. But if kids use their parents’ credit cards, it is impossible to tell. And as for geolocation, the only area that would raise attention would be betting at a school, during school hours. Pinpointing minors placing bets is a very difficult process for sportsbooks.

Exposures to Gambling

Stepping back from the gambling itself, and it begs the question, how did the kids get the idea to go ahead and place sports bets. The survey indicated there were multiple sources of the kids’ betting, with intersections that could easily overlap.

Social Platform Algorithms

Sportsbooks were not the only ones targeted by the report. It also shed light on social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch, among others. These platforms use algorithms to collect user data and show relevant ads, but many of the boys suggested that the ads suddenly appeared in their feeds. Sure, they may follow users with betting content, watch some of the content, and perhaps even search for it. But the formula should be able to gauge the age of the users, and block any age restricted content that could be potentially harmful.

Social media, while not directly causing children to gamble, was found to have normalized the perceived image of gambling for children, making it seem fun and potentially exciting.

Gambling in Games

Another area that was targeted was the use of gamified gambling-like activities. Loot boxes and other randomized paid rewards fell into this category, showing how the design mechanisms reflect those of slots and other casino games. Whether opening loot boxes in Fortnite for new skins or card packs in FIFA (now EA Sports FC), the activity is just too similar to casino games. In that you pay to play 1 round, and can win a randomized reward, which can vary in worth. Loot boxes have been a contentious subject for ages now, and there are many critics who would argue that it builds gambling mechanisms and triggers in children. Especially as they gamify the activity and try to pass it off as part of the game.

Parental Exposure

Exposure through parents, family members, and the children’s immediate surroundings also impacted the results. Children who see adults gambling are more likely to normalize the behavior and practice it themselves. The report indicated that 34% of boys who participated had gambled with a family member before. And of those, 45% of boys in households earning over $100,000 gambled with their family members, compared to just 25% in lower income households. The boys who gambled are more likely to have parental permission to gamble, and 30% use their parents’ bank cards with permission. Only 45% of the households with boys who gambled stated they have “rules” for gambling with their children.

Peer Pressure

Many of the questions revolved around peer pressure. This type of pressure comes both on digital platforms and in socially, in peer circles. Group chats and Discord servers can normalize the betting, with kids sharing slips, talking about wins, and prompting others to get involved. Of the boys who stated “most/all of their friends gamble”, 84% had gambled themselves. 71% of boys who stated that a few/some friends gamble ahd also gambled themselves. And among those who said none of their friends gamble, or they don’t know, only 17% had gambled. The peer groups can definitely influence gambling among minors, making it part of their collective social habits.

38% of boys answered that they gamble for fun or excitement, with 28% each answering they gamble to win money, or because it’s part of the games they like. Only 10% said they gamble when they feel bored or stressed, and only 6-7% stated it was because of social media posts or by seeing content creators doing it. Peer involvement is one of the strongest catalysts for underage gambling, and while social media can introduce the concept to children, it is their peer groups who are more likely to encourage the habit.

Wrapping Up the Figures

Summarizing the figures we have collected from the survey:

• 36% of boys aged 11–17 said they gambled in 2025
• 51% of 16-year-olds and 49% of 17-year-olds reported gambling on sports
• 34% of boys who gambled in the past year participated specifically in sports betting
• 45% of boys said they were exposed to sports betting online
• Boys who actively watched gambling content spent $72 per year on average, compared to $0.33 among non-viewers
• Across all boys surveyed, the average annual gambling spend was $54
• Boys with higher losses were 3× more likely to use their parents’ credit cards without permission

What Can Be Done

One of the most concerning aspects of this report is that so many legal betting states did not want to take part. The true scale of this phenomenon is not public information, and so we can’t really estimate how many underage gamblers there are in America today. State authorities can respond with stronger educational programs, teaching parents as well as children. They can also come down hard on the media platforms and games companies that are not keeping up their part to protect children and block these gambling (or gambling-like) activities from the vulnerable peer groups.

Sportsbooks are doing what they can, but perhaps the most useful information at the moment would be the full reports of underage gambling across all of the US betting states. It would help realize the problem in its entirety, and perhaps give useful data about where there may be fewer cases or more favorable results.

As far as taking action is concerned, perhaps the most effective strategy would be to enforce biometric security. Not just at the time of making a sports betting account, but perhaps extending the security measures for logins and perhaps when making payments. It wouldn’t be without backlash, but to continue ensuring the safety of minors, drastic measures may be required.

For parents, the takeaway is to do what they can to limit their children’s exposure to gambling. Talking about gambling and setting rules are important – the survey suggests only 45% households had rules on gambling, and 59% had talked to their parents about gambling. But 66% of children said they were unsure whether gambling had any personal downsides – so it is important to have the talk and give them clarity early on to avoid falling prey to gambling.