By Sarah McCarthy, CEO, Responsible Gambling Council
Parents work hard to protect their children from harm. We teach them to look both ways before crossing the street and to be cautious online. But there is a growing threat hiding in plain sight on their teenagers’ phones: the normalization of youth online gambling.
At the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC), we have spent 40 years working to prevent gambling harm. What we’re seeing now is unprecedented. Today’s teenagers are surrounded by gambling in ways previous generations never experienced. The message is constant: betting is a normal, fun part of digital life.
But here is the truth: for anyone under 19 in Ontario, online gambling is illegal. And because their brains are still developing, young people face unique risks that make underage gambling particularly harmful.
The Perfect Storm of Risk
The prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for impulse control and risk assessment, does not fully mature until the mid-20s. This means teenagers are neurologically less equipped to recognize when a “sure thing” is actually a losing bet, or when occasional betting has become a problem.
As we approach major sporting milestones like March Madness, the pressure on young people to ‘get “get in on the action’ action” through brackets and parlays intensifies, often blurring the line between fandom and financial risk.
Furthermore, young people spend years watching influencers promote betting apps and hearing friends discuss “wins” long before they turn 19. By the time they reach the legal age, the behaviour feels familiar and harmless. This normalization is also happening through video games that incorporate “loot boxes” and prize wheels, mechanics that look and feel like gambling.
The consequences are real. We are hearing from educators and families about young people experiencing financial loss, declining grades, anxiety, and depression. Some are even accumulating debt before they finish high school.
Parents Are the First Line of Defence
Many adults gamble for entertainment, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, we must recognize that what is recreational for a developed adult brain can be harmful to an adolescent one.
The good news? Research shows that parental involvement significantly reduces youth gambling risk. Parents are Ontario’s most powerful prevention tool.
What you can do:
Start early: Don’t wait for a crisis. Discuss gambling risks before high school.
Know the warning signs: Watch for sudden secrecy regarding phone use, unexplained requests for money, or changes in mood and sleep patterns.
Create tech boundaries: Understand the apps on your teen’s device. Discuss ‘gacha’ mechanics and loot boxes in their favourite games.
Model healthy behaviour: If you gamble, talk openly about your limits and the fact that losses are far more common than wins.
The Bottom Line
Our children are growing up in a world where gambling is woven into the fabric of digital life. They are being told they can win if they’re “smart enough.” As parents and community members, we must counter these messages with truth and support.
To help parents navigate these challenges, we have launched a dedicated resource hub. We created this site to serve as a practical toolkit, providing the specific language and evidence-based facts families need to have honest, non-judgmental conversations about the risks of underage play. Because youth are being conditioned to view gambling as harmless within digital entertainment, this platform offers a necessary counter-narrative, equipping caregivers with conversation starters, warning signs to watch for, and clear guidance on where to turn if their child is experiencing harm.
Our teenagers deserve to enjoy technology safely, without the burden of gambling debt or harm. The conversation starts at home, and it needs to start now.
Sarah McCarthy is Chief Executive Officer of the Responsible Gambling Council, an independent non-profit organization dedicated to gambling harm prevention. For more than 40 years, RGC has worked to reduce gambling risk through evidence-informed education, research, and community support. For resources on talking to young people about gambling, visit this link.