For many young adults in Massachusetts, a sports wager can feel less like a gambling risk and more like an ordinary discretionary expense.
Researchers have said young adults often liken betting to routine purchases such as coffee or lunch. That casual view may help explain why many bettors think they can manage it, even as a three-year Massachusetts study indicates the risks are frequently being downplayed.
Here's what to know
As Boston.com reported, 71% of the 62 young adults who took part in a three-year Massachusetts study said they had previously bet on sports. Researchers said many participants treated betting as a "low-risk, casual form of entertainment" and did not view it as a problem when they felt they were keeping it in check.
Even when participants could identify possible harms, the study found that many did not expect those harms to affect them or the people around them.
"Although young adults recognized risks associated with sports betting, many downplayed them or exempted themselves and their peers from being affected," the researchers wrote. "Several young adults described sports betting as 'trivial' or questioned whether it should be considered gambling at all."
The study, funded by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago and Gemini Research. It also found that sports betting is often seen as a social activity connected to family and friends.
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Researchers said that outlook may be reinforced by how little effort betting takes. Researcher Petry Ubri told the Gaming Commission, "Young adults see sports betting as an extension of their time spent on their phones, rather than as a distinct gambling activity."
More background
Participants repeatedly used words like "frictionless" and "immediate" to describe sports betting, a sign that convenience may be helping expand participation.
Researcher Katie Gallant told the commission the participants described "near constant exposure" to betting-related content on social media, podcasts, mobile apps, and game broadcasts. Many young bettors viewed promotions framed as "free money" as misleading and potentially harmful for younger audiences.
Underage betting was another concern highlighted in the report. Among the 19 participants aged 18 to 20, 68% said they had already bet on sports, and respondents said minors often use fake IDs, offshore sites, VPNs, and informal betting networks. Participants also described sports betting as "very popular in high school."
What's being done?
Massachusetts officials are starting to respond with education efforts aimed at younger people. A public-private coalition formed in 2024 created a curriculum for ages 12 through 20 focused on betting laws, possible risks, financial literacy, and recognizing addiction warning signs.
About 400 middle and high school students have taken part in the program. A second phase, planned for the 2026-27 school year, is meant to expand statewide and reach more than 2,200 students.
Findings suggest the lessons may be shifting attitudes. After completing the program, 69% said they were more likely to wait until age 21 to gamble on sports, and 78% said they would recommend it to others their age.
The Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health also found that after the course, the share of students who saw sports betting as a simple way to make money fell from 53% to 44%.
Sports betting platforms market themselves as entertainment, but the industry's fast growth has raised its own concerns: predatory design, aggressive advertising, and the financial risk that comes with real-time betting available around the clock. Alongside education efforts like the one in Massachusetts, regulators in several states have started scrutinizing advertising practices and consumer protections as the industry expands.
Where can I learn more?
The Massachusetts study fits into a much bigger picture. The articles here show how sports betting gets folded into everyday life through relentless ads, industry behavior, and even fraud cases, all of which can make the risks feel easier to dismiss, especially for younger bettors.
• Young men face near-constant gambling ads across sports media, reinforcing routine betting.
• In federal court, a sports betting influencer admitted paying a player to alter performance.
• At PENN Entertainment, investors said outrageous executive perks raised questions about leadership in betting.
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