Would you know if your teen was gambling online?
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Do you know where your children are? Are they gambling online?
One in six parents say if their teenager was betting online, they probably wouldn’t know, a poll from the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital found. More than half said they would definitely know if their teen was gambling online, and 2% said they believe their teen has.
The National Council on Problem Gambling found in a 2021 survey that between 60% to 80% of high school students admitted to gambling for money over the previous year, while around 4% to 6% of high school students were estimated to be gambling addicts.
There’s lots of loopholes teens can find to bet online, University of Michigan Health said in a release, despite the fact that in most states where you can gamble online (like Michigan) you have to be at least 21 years old.
“Parents may be underestimating their teen’s interest and savviness,” Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H., said in the release. “Online betting can be difficult to detect because a teen can easily log in on their smartphone or other personal device, delete the search history, hide the app or use it discretely.”
The poll surveyed 923 parents who have at least one teen between the ages of 14 to 18. Two thirds said their teen has their own bank account, debit or credit card, which teens could be using the gamble online without parents’ knowledge.
Online betting is also similar to games the teens may be used to playing, including fantasy football leagues.
“Many online gambling options will seem familiar to teens,” Clark said. “They feel like games kids have been playing on their phones, including features like bonus points and rewards. That familiarity may make it harder for teens to appreciate the difference between playing for fun and playing for money.”
One in four parents polled said they have talked to their teenager about virtual betting. Clark said parents should have that conversation and explain how online gambling sites try to get people to place a bet.
