Whether it be while watching TV or scrolling on social media, sports betting is everywhere. However, sports betting is becoming a problem in high schools, and it should be given the same level of awareness and prevention efforts as issues such as vaping or smoking. Sports betting is a highly addictive activity that can, and will, harm students in the future.   

On Oct. 23, 2025, there was a massive betting scandal that involved the FBI and the Mob (organized crime syndicate). The scandal involved Miami Heat Guard Terry Rozier and a couple of former players, along with Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chancey Billups. This marked the second time in the past year that the NBA (National Basketball Association) has been involved in a betting scandal. This isn’t just happening in the NBA; in all professional sports, betting has become much more frequent in recent years.

In 2018, the United States legalized sports betting, and advertisements and sponsors immediately flooded the sports world. Additionally, according to the American Gaming Association, in the last seven years, online sports betting has become especially popular among young adults and teenagers, with Americans placing $147.9 billion in sports bets. 

Teenagers’ brains don’t fully develop until the age of 25, according to the Understanding the Teen Brain – Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. Since their brains aren’t fully developed, they are less able to consider the consequences of their choices, leading many to make poor decisions. This is important to take into account because sports betting is a highly addictive form of gambling, especially for 14 to 18-year-olds. 

These addictions stem from the easy accessibility of online sports betting and rampant advertisements, hinting at the larger nationwide problems. Another reason, especially for young people, is that betting gives an additional incentive to watch a game. However, sports offer plenty of excitement and unpredictability on their own, as the storylines within sports themselves make them highly interesting without the need for sports betting.

To help solve this, we need to bring awareness to the negative effects of sports gambling at such a young age. We need to have informational videos and share real life stories about what the negatives of sports gambling can do to a person. We need to show young students that sports is still a collaborative thing students can enjoy and connect on. This increased awareness can help solve this growing issue and enact true change in the world.

Sports betting is becoming a growing epidemic in society, and measures need to be put into place to protect countless young individuals. If schools can prevent the issue from infecting their high school students, more people will avoid becoming addicted to betting and truly enjoy the beauty of sports.