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Sports betting is becoming normalized among adolescents and young adults, with some experiencing severe financial consequences, an adolescent medicine specialist told KHOU 11. The segment highlights warning signs parents can watch for and describes treatment approaches for young people struggling with gambling.
The specialist said more patients in their practice, particularly young men, are placing bets. Health experts in the segment linked addiction risk to a still-developing brain, which the report described as continuing to develop until at least age 25.
Financial harm can reach the whole family
The specialist described young people accumulating debt and exhausting their savings. In some cases, family members have used their own savings or retirement funds to help cover the resulting financial damage.
Parents were advised to watch for:
- Unexplained money moving into and out of accounts.
- Borrowing money or selling belongings.
- Moods that rise and fall with a game’s score.
The segment also described young people chasing losses by placing even bigger bets, adding to the financial stakes of continued gambling.
Treatment includes structure and mental health care
KHOU 11 described treatment as often involving structure, support and therapy, alongside care for mental health struggles.
The specialist acknowledged that treating gambling problems among young people presents challenges for pediatricians: “Unfortunately, this is a relatively new condition for a lot of us pediatricians, and so we’re still figuring out the best way to help young people.”
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Source: As reported by KHOU 11.
