The Silent Epidemic in Your Son's Pocket: Understanding the Mobile Gambling Crisis Among Young Men

By Brad Sorte, MSW, MBA

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• 10% of young men (ages 18-25) show signs of gambling disorder, more than triple the general population rate of 3%

• 75% of college students have gambled in the past year; mobile sports betting apps design features specifically to exploit compulsive behavior patterns

• The gambling-suicide connection is profound: those with gambling disorder have the highest suicide rate of any addiction, with 1 in 5 attempting suicide

• The Supreme Court's 2018 Murphy decision unleashed a $150 billion industry with minimal regulatory oversight, using AI-driven algorithms to identify and target vulnerable users

• This is a public health emergency disguised as entertainment. Families need to understand the neuroscience, recognize the warning signs, and intervene early

Understanding the Mobile Gambling Crisis Among Young Men

I met with parents recently whose son had downloaded DraftKings during his sophomore year. Everyone in his dorm was doing it. Free $200 sign-up bonus. Within six months, he'd burned through his college savings and borrowed from friends. They found out when a credit card company called the house about a delinquent account he'd opened using fabricated income information.

When we talked, the parents kept asking variations of the same question: "How did this happen so fast?"

It's designed to happen fast. And unless you understand the systems at play here, you cannot protect your family.

The scale of the problem

A 2024 Fairleigh Dickinson University survey found that 10% of young men in the United States show behavior indicating a gambling problem, compared to 3% of the general population.¹

The age group with the most gambling addicts is 18-24, with 7.1% meeting diagnostic criteria. Among college students specifically, 75% have gambled within the past 12 months.²

Early exposure is getting earlier: 43.3% of young adults were first exposed to gambling between ages 11 and 16. The prevalence of gambling addiction among men is 1.5 to 2 times more common than among women.²

Eight years ago, Americans placed around $5 billion in sports bets. Last year, that number was nearly $150 billion. By 2028, we'll have bet and lost a trillion dollars since 2018.³

That exponential growth happened because of one event: the 2018 Supreme Court decision in Murphy v. NCAA, which overturned the federal ban on sports betting and allowed states to legalize it.⁴

How we got here

The 2018 Supreme Court decision reversed PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act), which had protected professional and college sports leagues from point-shaving rings and kept physical distance between gamblers and casinos.

What followed was predictable if you understand systems dynamics.

FanDuel and DraftKings spent hundreds of millions carpet-bombing the airwaves with ads. They paid major sports leagues for their data and branding, and partnered with AI firms to target users' browsing habits and favorite teams.

Currently, online sportsbooks operate in 39 states and Washington, D.C. FanDuel and DraftKings control 80 percent of the mobile betting market.³

These aren't just betting platforms. They're sophisticated behavioral manipulation systems built on AI and neuroscience research.

Why mobile gambling is different

From a neuroscience perspective, gambling through mobile sports-betting apps activates the brain's reward system in the same way addictive substances do.

But mobile gambling has advantages over substance use from an addiction-formation standpoint:

Accessibility. Live in-game microbetting allows users to wager on every pitch, serve, and snap. Using AI-powered algorithms, sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel refresh the odds constantly.

Speed. Traditional gambling had natural breaks. You had to drive to a casino, wait for races, sit through games. Mobile gambling happens in seconds. You can place hundreds of bets during a single sporting event.

Illusion of control. Sports betting feels skill-based, especially to young men who've followed sports their whole lives. The common fan cannot possibly calculate whether it's a good bet or bad bet, much less in real time. But it feels like you should be able to. That feeling keeps you betting.

Social normalization. "Honestly, it's almost like a hobby now," a 20-year-old Northeastern University student told reporters. "You bet on sports when you go to your friend's house, and you're watching a game. You both have money on it. Maybe you're rooting for the opposite teams, and then it becomes intense."⁵

When you use substances repeatedly, your brain's dopamine system gets recalibrated. The brain starts to expect the substance and adjusts its natural dopamine production accordingly.

The same process happens with gambling. Normal activities stop providing satisfaction. You need to gamble just to feel normal, not even to feel good.

The predatory design

These apps aren't designed to let you place bets. They're designed to maximize "user engagement," which is industry speak for addiction.

Matt Zarb-Cousin, a person in recovery from gambling addiction who now works as an advocate, accessed data that the betting company Flutter (owner of FanDuel) had gathered on one of its customers. There were "about 93 different data points they had gathered on this individual," including information about when the customer bet, how much was bet, and which marketing inducements worked.⁶

City officials in Baltimore alleged that DraftKings and FanDuel used personalized algorithms, targeted promotions, and retention tactics to exploit vulnerable users. The platforms actively monitor user behavior to identify patterns linked to compulsive gambling, such as "loss chasing," frequent late-night logins, and repeated session activity. When these behaviors are detected, users are allegedly targeted with bonus bets, push notifications, and invitations to exclusive "VIP" programs intended to keep them betting.⁷

The platforms use AI to identify when you're losing control, and then they target you with inducements to keep you gambling. They're not trying to help you gamble responsibly. They're trying to maximize revenue from your loss of control.

By contrast, users who demonstrated control or consistent success were often deprioritized or excluded from these incentives.

If you're winning, they reduce your engagement. If you're losing control, they increase it. This is predatory by design.

The college campus connection

The targeting of college campuses has been particularly aggressive.

Michigan State University signed an $8.4 million, 5-year deal with Caesars Sportsbook.⁸ Louisiana State University signed a "multi-year, seven-figure deal" with Caesars Sportsbook.⁹ After signing the deal, the university sent an email encouraging participants, including some who were under 21 and not legally eligible to gamble, to "place your first bet (and earn your first bonus)."

The University of Colorado Boulder accepted a $1.6 million deal to promote sports betting on campus with an offer of an additional $30 for every time someone downloaded the app using their promotional code.¹⁰ To date, at least eight major universities have entered partnerships with sports-betting companies.¹¹

These universities are being paid to expose their students, many underage, to gambling platforms.

Researchers from the University of Buffalo identify "the 5 A's" that make college students particularly vulnerable: availability, acceptability, advertising, access, and age.²

You have young men whose brains are still developing, facing academic and social pressure, surrounded by peers who are gambling, exposed to constant advertising, and with 24/7 access through their phones. It's a perfect vulnerability profile.

The suicide connection

This isn't just about money. This is about lives.

Eight studies from the USA reported that those with gambling disorder had the highest suicide rate of any addiction disorder, with one in five gambling disorder patients having attempted suicide.¹²

In the UK, those with gambling disorder were six times more likely to have suicidal thoughts and 15 times more likely to make a suicidal attempt.¹²

A study in The Lancet Public Health found that problem gambling among young adults is associated with increased risk of suicidality, and this relationship remained even when controlling for common mental disorders and substance misuse.¹³

Why is the connection so strong? Unlike with other addictive behaviors, gambling is a silent addiction. An individual can gamble away the family savings on their mobile phone in secret.

The shame is profound. The financial devastation happens fast. And young men, particularly, struggle to ask for help.

"In the hospital, where I was hooked up to a bunch of IVs after my failed suicide bid, they turned the NBA Finals on and gave me my phone. I gambled away my last $100," says one person in recovery.⁶

Even in treatment, the access continues. That's how pervasive this has become.

Warning signs

The challenge with gambling addiction is that it's invisible until it's catastrophic. Your son doesn't come home intoxicated. There are no drugs in his room. His grades might even be fine initially.

But here are signs that should trigger immediate concern:

Financial red flags: Asking for money more frequently, vague explanations for expenses, maxed-out credit cards or new cards you didn't know about, money missing from accounts, or selling possessions.

Behavioral changes: Increased phone use during sporting events, watching sports they never cared about before, secretiveness about phone activity, mood swings tied to game outcomes, staying up very late, missing classes or work.

Emotional signs: Increased anxiety or agitation, depression or withdrawal, talk of financial stress or hopelessness, expressions of shame or self-loathing.

One addiction therapist reports young gamblers placing sports bets while showering and wagering away student loan money.⁵

What can families do right now?

Have the conversation. Talk to your sons about gambling before they're exposed. Explain the neuroscience. Show them the data on addiction rates. Discuss the algorithmic manipulation.

Monitor financial accounts. If your son is in college or just after, maintain visibility into financial activity. Unexplained losses or cash advances should trigger immediate conversation.

Watch for pattern changes. Changes in sleep, mood, academic performance, or social connection can indicate problems.

Intervene early. If you suspect a problem, don't wait for it to become catastrophic. Early intervention is more effective than crisis intervention, particularly for young adults, before patterns become deeply entrenched.

Get specialized help. Not all addiction therapists understand gambling. Find providers who specialize in gambling disorders.

Address co-occurring issues. 96% of problem gamblers also meet the criteria for another mental illness.¹⁴ Effective treatment must address the whole picture.

The path forward

We're watching a public health crisis unfold in real time. The data is clear. The mechanisms are understood. The harms are documented.

A study published in the April 2025 edition of JAMA Internal Medicine found a 23% nationwide increase in searches for gambling addiction support after the legalization of sports betting, with even higher spikes in states that introduced mobile betting apps.¹⁵

Harry Levant, a former criminal defense attorney who lost his license to his own gambling addiction and now works as an addictions counselor, views the embrace of online sports gambling as a public health emergency.⁶

He's right. And like other public health emergencies (tobacco, opioids, alcohol), we'll eventually regulate this industry appropriately. But that will take years, maybe decades. And in the meantime, families are being devastated.

Your son doesn't need to be a statistic. But preventing that requires understanding the system he's navigating, recognizing the signs early, and intervening decisively when needed.

The apps in their pockets aren't entertainment platforms. They're behavioral manipulation systems backed by billions of dollars and designed by the most intelligent people in technology and neuroscience to be as addictive as possible.

That's the business model.

If you're concerned about gambling in your family, reach out to us. This is an area where early intervention can prevent catastrophic outcomes. Don't wait for the financial devastation or the suicidal crisis. Act now.

Brad Sorte, MSW, MBA, is co-founder of YES Family Consulting. He previously served as President and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers. His work integrates clinical expertise, business strategy, and systems thinking to address emerging behavioral health challenges, including technology-mediated addictions.

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References

1. Fairleigh Dickinson University. (2024). "FDU Poll Finds Online Betting Leads to Problems for Young Men." Available at: https://www.fdu.edu/news/poll-young-men-face-higher-rates-of-problem-gambling/

2. Håkansson, A., et al. (2021). "Gambling in College Students: A Cross-sectional Study." National Center for Biotechnology Information. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8567795/

3. American Gaming Association. (2024). "State Gaming Map." Available at: https://www.americangaming.org/research/state-gaming-map/

4. Supreme Court of the United States. (2018). Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, 584 U.S. ___ (2018). Available at: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-476_dbfi.pdf

5. CBS News. (2023). "Young Gamblers: Sports Betting Addiction." 60 Minutes. Available at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/young-gamblers-sports-betting-addiction-60-minutes/

6. Rolling Stone. (2023). "The Hidden Addiction: How Mobile Sports Betting Apps Are Targeting Problem Gamblers." Available at: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/mobile-sports-betting-gambling-addiction-fanduel-draftkings-1235444172/

7. AboutLawsuits.com. (2024). "FanDuel, DraftKings Lawsuit Removed to Federal Court." Available at: https://www.aboutlawsuits.com/sports-betting-addiction-lawsuit/fanduel-draftkings-lawsuit-removed-to-federal-court/

8. ESPN. (2022). "Caesars, Michigan State Sign Partnership." Available at: https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/34455646/caesars-michigan-state-sign-partnership

9. ESPN. (2021). "Louisiana State, Caesars Sportsbook Sign Landmark Deal." Available at: https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/32856147/louisiana-state-caesars-sportsbook-sign-landmark-deal

10. USA Today. (2022). "Colorado-PointsBet Betting Partnership." Available at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2022/01/28/colorado-pointsbet-betting-partnership/9266169002/

11. Higher Ed Dive. (2022). "Colleges' Sports Betting Partnerships with Caesars, DraftKings." Available at: https://www.highereddive.com/news/colleges-sports-betting-partnerships-caesars-draftkings/638473/

12. Håkansson, A., et al. (2023). "Gambling Disorder and Suicide: A Systematic Review." National Center for Biotechnology Information. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9983450/

13. Wardle, H., et al. (2020). "Problem Gambling and Suicidality in Young Adults." The Lancet Public Health, 5(12), e628-e636. Available at: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(20)30232-2/fulltext

14. Quit Gamble. (2024). "Gambling Addiction Statistics and Facts." Available at: https://quitgamble.com/gambling-addiction-statistics-and-facts/

15. Perlis, R.H., et al. (2025). "Internet Searches for Gambling Addiction After Legalization of Sports Betting." JAMA Internal Medicine. Available at: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2817123