SAN ANTONIO \u2013 More than a third of boys between the ages of 11 and 17 gambled money in the past year, according to a new study \u2014 and experts say prediction market apps are making it easier than ever for kids to get in on the action.<\/p>\n
Common Sense Media surveyed more than 1,000 boys across the country last year and found that 36% reported gambling in the past year. That number climbs to nearly half \u2014 49% \u2014 among 17-year-olds.<\/p>\n
Apps like Kalshi and Polymarket allow users to bet real money on real-world events, from sports outcomes to political elections. In Texas, traditional gambling is illegal \u2014 but these companies argue they operate under a different set of rules.<\/p>\n
When KSAT asked Polymarket whether it was using federal regulations to sidestep Texas law, the company pushed back \u2014 saying its app is regulated by federal law, not state rules.<\/p>\n
Both apps require users to be at least 18 years old. But Rick Edwards, inpatient program director at Clarity Child Guidance Center in San Antonio, says that barrier isn\u2019t stopping kids.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s more common than I think folks would realize,\u201d Edwards said. \u201cAnd there are folks that are willing \u2014 with the idea of a payoff for them \u2014 when that underage kid wins, for them to be able to collect some part of those winnings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSome parents may not even be aware of the fact that kids have access to their own accounts and are doing that betting themselves,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The Common Sense Media study found that nearly half of boys who gamble are also seeing gambling content online. The majority \u2014 59% \u2014 said it simply showed up in their feed. They weren\u2019t searching for it.<\/p>\n
Boys who regularly watch gambling content spend more than twice as much on gambling as those who don\u2019t \u2014 an average of $72 compared to $33 per year.<\/p>\n
Edwards says when things spiral, the fallout doesn\u2019t stay with the kid.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt impacts not just that individual, but oftentimes they\u2019ll go to the adult, the parent in the family to say, \u2018Hey, your son or daughter here has been betting and now they\u2019re in debt to me,\u2019\u201d Edwards said. \u201cSo now it becomes not just a child\u2019s problem, but a family\u2019s problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also pointed to a startling statistic \u2014 gambling addiction carries a higher rate of suicide than other substance-related addictions.<\/p>\n
Edwards says there are warning signs parents can look out for, including a sudden obsession with sports statistics, withdrawing from family activities, and excessive time spent on a phone or device.<\/p>\n
Fewer than half of boys surveyed \u2014 45% \u2014 said their families have any rules about gambling at home.<\/p>\n