Gambling at a young age increases the chances of addiction
Beneath the surface of PVHS’s vibrant academic community lies an emerging concern that has the potential to harm students: underage sports betting.
Sports betting, as the name suggests, is the act of placing wagers on the outcomes of various sporting events. It’s an activity that has gained immense popularity worldwide, with billions of dollars exchanged every year on a wide variety of games ranging from football and basketball to horse racing and even Esports.
A large number of students participating in underage sports betting are doing it through sports betting apps. They sign in to these apps using the age and information of a person that is 21 years of age or older, and they start betting.
One particular student, who prefers to use the alias Jack, uses DraftKings Sportsbook. Jack’s account on DraftKings Sportsbook is set up with another person’s information, and he places small bets several times per week.
Jack personally views sports betting as an opportunity to make money as well as a form of entertainment. “I’m obviously trying to make money when I’m placing bets; that’s my reigning goal. However, I know that most of the bets I place are going to lose. When I lose bets, I don’t see it as money lost from gambling. I just see it as money spent on entertainment,” said Jack.
He estimates that throughout his time betting, he has spent over $500. Out of that total money spent betting, he has a net loss of $300 to $400.
The main concern some students express when it comes to underage sports betting is getting into legal trouble. Under Iowa law, those caught making illegal sports bets are subject to receiving a simple misdemeanor, which can result in a fine of $105 to $855.
Jack expressed no concerns of getting caught making underage bets. “I don’t think these sportsbooks that have millions of users are going to catch us. It’s really common for kids in high school to have accounts on these apps. I know lots of people who do underage sports betting and I’ve never seen anyone get caught,” said Jack.
The strong presence of sports betting within the walls of PVHS has also raised concerns regarding gambling addictions.
Three primary areas in the brain that are disrupted by addiction are the basal ganglia, extended amygdala and prefrontal cortex. These areas are responsible for controlling a person’s emotions, actions and impulses. A person’s brain is not fully developed until their mid to late 20s, so a lack of development in these areas combined with exposure to the thrills of gambling is the perfect condition for an addiction.
Once an addiction develops, especially at a young age, it becomes very difficult to reverse. Even if a person quits gambling, the disruptions of the basal ganglia, extended amygdala and prefrontal cortex remain present, which reduce a person’s ability to control their impulses.
Not only can underage sports betting leave a person with an addiction for years to come, but it can damage one’s long-term financial stability and health.
Business teacher Rita Brown has strong feelings against gambling. “In the long term, gambling can significantly impair your ability to build wealth. When we hear about gambling, we most often hear when people win. People don’t talk about when they lost money gambling. We think everybody’s winning, so we should too,” said Brown. “And you won’t make money in the long run – you will always lose. I think that’s what you have to understand with gambling in the long run. You will always lose.”
Underage sports betting is more than a clandestine activity; Brown believes it is a problem that can damage the future of students. The thrill of placing bets and the lure of quick financial gain can lead vulnerable individuals down a dangerous path. It damages the financial health of students, exposes them to legal trouble and has the potential to create lifelong gambling addictions.
Gambling apps provide easy access to underage betters
Betting has begun to plague more than just casinos. Both high schools and universities have a high percentage of students involved in sports betting. The majority of these students find ways to bet through their parents’ accounts or bookies. However, underage students have a new way to partake in the thrill.
Fliff is a sports betting app that does not require a user’s social security number and uses digital coin and cash that are not directly transferable to currency. The app allows users to accumulate “xp” points that can eventually be transferred into electronic gift cards. The app uses challenges that involve betting on different games to reward users with xp.
The app does not use a valid currency, which is what allows users under 21 to still place bets and receive rewards. The app is no different from other gambling apps aside from the currency. This allows users to easily segway into real betting.
Fliff also allows users to purchase the in-game currency, but the user must be 21 years or older to do so.
The app can cause users to become addicted to gambling through the same ways that real gambling apps work. “I wouldn’t say that I was addicted to it but I would log on every day to make sure I had bets placed,” said senior Jackson Peer.
Fliff could also be seen as less problematic than real gambling apps because of the low risk it entails. “I never saw using Fliff as a problem because it is no different than a normal game on your phone. In almost every game on the app store you can buy in-game currency or spend money in the app. Fliff is just a different setup,” stated senior Armaan Bhagwat.
There are many different ways to gamble, and sports betting has become one of the most popular. Becoming addicted to sports betting has been proven to be very easy and can come in all forms. Fliff has qualities of both a gambling app and a game that people can enjoy, increasing its danger to students.
