Sports gambling has gone mainstream, sweeping the nation. Today, 39 states have legalized it, together with Kentucky.
Unlike most states, Kentucky permits 18-12 months-olds to gamble on sporting occasions — 32 of the 39 states set the minimal age at 21. Perhaps the state legislature neglected this element when mainstreaming sports gambling in 2023. But contemplating the vulnerabilities of younger individuals, Kentucky should rethink elevating the minimal age this legislative session.
The National Institute of Health references a research from Great Britain titled Gambling in Young Adults Aged 17–24 Years: A Population-Based Study. The research notes:
“Young people are known to be at risk of problems with gambling because of cognitive immaturities, such as illusions of control over outcomes … and poor understanding of statistical probability … These can lead to chasing losses, a common gambling problem. In adolescence, executive function is not fully developed, which increases impulsivity and risk-taking behaviors … This immaturity in self-regulation can increase the frequency of placing bets impulsively, especially in-game sports betting.”
These are the identical causes the legislation restricts tobacco and alcohol to these below 21. Until the mind is totally developed, good public coverage steps in to shield younger individuals from potential harms. The identical is true when it comes to defending pocketbooks. There is widespread cynicism that youthful generations have the deck stacked towards them. Now the figurative deck—or sportsbook app of their again pocket—bombards them with messages and guarantees that they’re going to strike it wealthy.
DraftKings and FanDuel dominate the airwaves, particularly throughout stay occasions. For younger males—the group more than likely to wager—this fixed publicity can be onerous to resist. Sports betting is now not restricted to predicting recreation outcomes; it contains prop bets, in-recreation bets, and speedy, excessive-danger wagers. This tempo could make it dangerously addictive.
The NCAA surveyed 3,500 faculty-aged college students (18–22) in 2023 to higher perceive sports wagering behaviors. NCAA President Charlie Baker defined the objective was to “better understand what student-athletes are experiencing on their campuses and among their peers so we can best help them deal with the potentially disruptive dynamic of legal sports betting.” Key findings included:
• 67% of scholars residing on campus are bettors, with larger-than-common frequency.
• 16% engaged in a minimum of one dangerous conduct, and 6% reported shedding greater than $500 in a single day.
• 70% of dangerous gamblers consider constant sports gambling will enhance their earnings.
• 28% used cellular apps to place their wagers.
Some argue that legalized sports betting will increase the fan base. Even if true, it has additionally created issues that didn’t exist earlier than the Supreme Court’s 2018 resolution permitting states to legalize it. These embody corruption and threats to pupil-athletes, and college students risking what little cash they’ve on lengthy-shot bets.
In November 2023, the NCAA discovered that 36% of Division I males’s basketball pupil-athletes reported “experiencing social media abuse related to sports betting in the past year.” Nearly one in three reported interacting with a pupil on campus who had guess on their workforce. Football numbers had been decrease: 16% reported detrimental or threatening messages, and 26% reported interacting with college students who had guess on their workforce. A 2024 research discovered that one in three excessive-profile athletes receives abusive messages from bettors.
Critics warned that legalized betting would have prices. Few anticipated simply how excessive. While sports gambling isn’t going away anytime quickly, there may be a sensible step Kentucky can take to shield younger individuals, together with potential gambling friends of pupil-athletes: elevate the minimal age.
Kentucky Revised Statute 230.805(b)(3) at the moment states:
“…prevent access to sports wagering by any person under the age of eighteen (18): a. At a licensed facility; and b. Online via website or mobile application.”
Changing “eighteen (18)” to “twenty-one (21)” would add a a lot-wanted safeguard, as would tightening the language to lower the chance for loopholes (as states like Michigan, Washington, and Connecticut beforehand have.
Who may oppose growing the minimal to 21? Seems like a no-brainer.
Richard Nelson is the chief director of Commonwealth Policy Center and host of The Commonwealth Matters podcast.