What began as an exhilarating night for lifelong Rockets fan Saul Malek turned into a moment of personal crisis. As Eric Gordon sank a game-clinching shot in Game 5 of the 2018 NBA Western Conference Finals, the room at Malek’s Houston home erupted in cheers. But Malek, then 20, was quietly panicking. He had just lost a $1,500 bet on the Golden State Warriors—money he didn’t have.
That loss marked the beginning of a two-year spiral into gambling addiction. At his lowest, Malek was $25,000 in debt, chasing the fleeting thrill of sports betting—a pastime that is now gripping young men across the country in unprecedented numbers.
The New Normal: Sports Betting Among Young Adults
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), states have rapidly embraced legal sports betting. Today, 39 states and the District of Columbia allow some form of it, with 33 states permitting mobile and online wagers.
This accessibility has ignited a surge in participation, particularly among college-aged men. A 2023 NCAA study found that 67% of college students were betting on sports, a number experts believe has only risen with the proliferation of betting apps like DraftKings, BetMGM, and FanDuel. These platforms, often marketed with enticing incentives and flashy promotions, place a sportsbook in every young adult’s pocket—24/7.
Jordan, now 25, started betting at 15. While attending a Division I university, his gambling habits escalated within the party-centric environment of college Greek life. “You can bet on everything—over/unders, first touchdowns, prop bets—it’s all around you,” he said.
His father, Austin, added, “Everybody has a betting workbook in their hand at all times.”
Addiction on the Rise: Misunderstood and Underrated
Heather Eshleman, prevention manager at the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling, says requests from educators for sports betting addiction resources have spiked dramatically, from three a year before legalization to three a month today.
Young men between 18 and 25 are at the highest risk. The brain’s decision-making and impulse control centers don’t fully mature until around age 25, explains Dr. Timothy Fong, co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program. “They crave excitement, social validation, and quick rewards—but lack the neurological tools to manage the losses,” he says.
Former gambler Rob Minnick, who documents his recovery journey on YouTube as “Rob ODAAT,” recalls being awed by the ability to win $100 on a simple parlay at age 16, while making $8.38 an hour at an ice cream shop. “It felt like a no-brainer,” he said.
Minnick’s story echoes a common misbelief among young men: that gambling success is tied to skill. Fong explains that this is a damaging illusion. “They think they’re betting smarter, not risking more.”
Hidden Pain: Personal Stories of Desperation and Denial
For Jose Mendoza of Kansas City, Missouri, sports betting was a way to numb the grief of losing his father. By 23, he was secretly placing bets on his phone while comforting his grieving mother. “Of course, I told my friends what I was winning,” he said. “But they’d ask, ‘How much did you lose?’ That’s always the kicker.”
Malek, meanwhile, found himself driving to a remote Texas casino at 1 a.m. to try and win back losses during college. He spent $400 in 15 minutes. “I was always telling myself, ‘I don’t have a problem,’” he said.
Eventually, reality set in. The constant lying to his parents hurt more than the debt. He began attending Gamblers Anonymous in 2018 and fully stopped gambling by July 2019. “Thinking I didn’t have all the answers helped more than pretending I did,” Malek says now.
Why Sports Betting Addiction Is So Difficult to Treat
Unlike substance abuse, gambling addiction doesn’t involve a physical substance, leading to a damaging perception that it’s merely a lack of self-control, says Cait Huble of the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Parents and peers often minimize the problem until it’s too late. Jordan’s parents, who repeatedly bailed him out in high school, thought they were helping. “Stop it. This is the last time,” they’d say. Only later did they realize their financial support had enabled his addiction.
DeMello, a recovered gambler, founded Evive, a digital therapy app targeting this gap in age and tech. “Every gambling addict believes if they hit the jackpot, it’ll all go away,” he said. “You have to kill that fantasy to achieve recovery.”
The Influence of Technology: A Casino in Every Pocket
Mobile betting revenue skyrocketed in 2024, generating an estimated $10.4 billion, even as in-person betting declined. For addiction specialists, this shift poses new challenges. “I used to see patients who’d drive hours to a casino,” says Dr. Fong. “Now, they’ve never stepped into one. Their casino is in their hand.”
Social media also fuels normalization. Platforms are filled with “betting bros” flaunting wins, often omitting the losses. Ads promoting odds are integrated into live broadcasts, making escape nearly impossible for struggling bettors.
What Can Be Done: Prevention, Awareness, and Real Conversations
Eshleman recommends starting with self-exclusion tools like Gamban, BetBlocker, or GamBlock. These apps limit access to gambling platforms and allow users to set deposit/time restrictions.
Minnick urges young men to examine why they gamble. “If you’re betting just because it’s a habit, that’s a red flag,” he said. “There were moments when I should’ve asked myself, ‘Why did I do that?’ I might have realized sooner that I had a problem.”
Conclusion: Betting’s Grip Is Growing — So Must Our Understanding
Sports betting has become a cultural norm among young men, driven by accessibility, peer pressure, and a misguided sense of skill. But behind the excitement and potential wins are painful losses, hidden debt, and psychological scars.
As the legal landscape continues to evolve, so must our public health strategies. Addiction isn’t a flaw—it’s a disease. And for young men like Saul, Rob, Jordan, and Jose, acknowledging that truth was the first step toward recovery.
