Watching sports in 2025 means being blasted by advertisements from all kinds of online betting websites and apps; every single ad-break, half-time, pre-game and post-game show are littered with advertisements of a practice that was illegal a decade ago. Draft Kings, FanDuel, Underdog, ESPN Bet, and Florida’s own Hard Rock Bet are raking in millions of dollars from gamblers across the country, including from children.

Before the ban was lifted, you needed to be in a casino to gamble on sports, which were obviously only allowed to adults. However, since gambling can be done from a user’s mobile device, it has allowed minors to begin gambling on their favorite players and teams. Legally, a user must be an adult to play, but these verifications only occur through a standard check box when users sign up. These gambling sites know this, which is why they offer promotions such as allowing users to get their money back if their bet fails the first time, or giving users a free $100 for gambling. As gambling companies continue to rake in cash from gamblers across the country, they continue to buy up increasingly higher portions of advertising segments, coercing impressionable children to spend money on gambling. These gambling apps are also widespread on social media, allowing for further engagement with children.

These addictions will impact the affected children as they become adults, making money management increasingly difficult. This epidemic has caused increased gambling outside of sports, too. According to Maryland House Representative Jaime Raskin, $930 million was wagered on 2024 elections on two separate platforms, which shows the intense desire of gamblers to make money. The online gambling epidemic has allowed people of any age to wager away their livelihoods with a click of a button, leaving detrimental damage to millions nationwide.