Re-release: How Online Sports Betting Hooks Teens & College Kids: What Parents Can Do about It

Online sports betting has become one of the fastest-growing risks for teens and tweens—often long before parents realize it’s on their child’s radar. This episode matters because parents today are navigating an entirely new digital landscape where gambling is marketed as entertainment, built into sports culture, and accessible 24/7 from a phone. Understanding how to educate our children and teens as well as how to respond—calmly, clearly, and effectively—can make all the difference.

In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen break down the rise of youth online gambling and sports betting, why adolescents are uniquely vulnerable to addictive platforms, and what parents can do before, during, and after concerns arise. Drawing from clinical experience and current research, they explain how gambling behaviors intersect with developmental impulsivity, social pressure, and mental health—and how parents can respond without shame or panic.

Dr. Caron and Dr. Allen also discuss why early conversations about risk, money, and digital habits are essential protective factors.  Together, they explore:

• How recent legal changes and the proliferation of betting apps have made gambling more accessible to teens and young adults.
• Why online sports betting is uniquely appealing and can be dangerous for teens
• How adolescent brain development increases gambling vulnerability
• The ways gambling and loot boxes in video games create habits that can lead to problematic behavior.
• Warning signs to watch for, such as increased irritability, money loss, or withdrawal from activities.
• What to say—and what not to say—if you learn that your child or teen is gambling
• Why understanding these behaviors with compassion can help reduce shame and foster healthier choices.

Key moments from this episode:

00:00 — Why Online Sports Betting Is Becoming a Major Risk for Teens
05:10 — How Teens Get Exposed to Gambling Without Parents Realizing
08:54 — How to Start the Conversation About Online Gambling With Your Child
11:45 — Communication Strategies That Foster Openness and Honesty
14:33 — How Gambling Trends Shifted After the Pandemic
16:53 — Understanding the Highs and Lows That Gambling Involves
21:15 — How Teens Access Betting Through Apps and Digital Platforms
24:15 — Video Games: How They May Introduce Gambling-Like Behaviors to Kids
29:14 — Using “Delay Practice” to Set Boundaries Around Gaming
30:16 — What Intermittent Reinforcement Is—and Why It Keeps Anyone Hooked
33:03 — Why the Teen Brain Is Especially Vulnerable to Gambling Apps
34:36 — Early Warning Signs of Gambling-Related Problems in Teens
37:29 — What Parents Should Do When They Suspect a Gambling Problem

If you’ve been worried about relentless gambling ads, your teen’s sports-betting exposure, or how to address risky online behavior without damaging trust, this episode will give you research-informed, practical steps to guide your family with clarity and confidence.

Furthermore, if you have concerns that you or a family member may have a gambling problem or addiction, you or your loved one can call or text 1-800-GAMBLER for private and confidential information and support.

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