Signs Your Child may be Gambling, Sports Betting

Today, it doesn’t take a drive to the local casino, fake ID or physical cash to gamble. A standard cellphone is enough for a teenager or young adult to place bets or play casino games. As sports betting becomes more and more normalized in American culture, many parents are quickly needing to learn how to detect gambling behaviors and assess how serious the risks are.

Whereas substance abuse is often hard to keep secret, gambling is easy to hide in plain sight; no smells, no obvious symptoms and no obvious physical evidence. Nowadays, your son or daughter could be sitting five feet away on the couch, and you’d have no idea if they’re just casually scrolling on Instagram, texting in a group chat or betting thousands of dollars in a virtual casino. This dynamic of modern technology, along with the naturally private nature of cellphone use, creates an exceedingly difficult atmosphere for parents to be able to spot potential gambling problems. 

The signs of gambling addiction are generally more emotional and mental, and they tend to bleed into behaviors, mood, routines and (naturally) finances. 

In this article, we’ll walk through the behavioral and emotional warning signs that may indicate your child is gambling, explore why early detection matters and explain what parents can do to intervene in a way that protects trust through a difficult process.

Warning signs indicating potential gambling by your son or daughter

Parents may expect something that sounds so daunting - “GAMBLING ADDICTION” - to be easily identified. But the modern reality is that it’s not overly difficult for children to keep hidden. Early signs may be subtle. The habit may begin with casual sportsbook apps or private peer-to-peer betting, with funds potentially exchanged over Venmo, PayPal, CashApp or Zelle. Over time though, certain patterns can begin to surface.

Money hungry

An increased focus or fixation on money can be one of the earliest psychological shifts. Asking to borrow money, discussing savings or bank accounts, or complaining about an inability to afford things are common red flags. 

Financial behaviors can also become chaotic. Some children will borrow money, quietly steal small amounts from family or begin to sell personal items to fund the habit. Sudden access to cash, new clothing or unexplained purchases may also appear. At the same time, deleting browsing histories, closing apps abruptly or becoming defensive when questioned can also be signs of hidden gambling. 

Some may even begin using money intended for necessities like food, transportation or school expenses to instead fund their betting habit. Therefore, having some level of visibility into their finances can be incredibly helpful. (More on that below.) 

If they’re open about the fact that they’re betting, keep an ear out for any talk of it as a way to make some extra cash and/or downplaying the risks of losing. These misconceptions often connect directly to risky betting behaviors. 

Mood swings, behavior changes

Emotional regulation may also start to change. Mood swings, heightened stress, irritability and restlessness can appear when they are unable to gamble, are trying to cut back or lost wagers. Social withdrawal can also follow, with reduced interest in family time, hobbies, activities or clubs.

Heightened focus on sports or statistics

Repeatedly checking the scores of games (in particular ones involving teams that they have no connection to as a fan) can indicate that they are tracking the outcomes of bets. Watching more games than usual or reacting in abnormally intense ways to their results can also be a sign.  

Chasing losses may occur, which is when an individual continues to bet in order to recover money that has already been lost. Tolerance can also build, with larger or more frequent bets required to achieve the same emotional rush. Not all children will show every sign, but clusters of these behaviors deserve attention.

Unusual banking transactions

Even with sports betting now legal in 39 states, age limits prevent most teens (but certainly not all) from taking part. Therefore, they may turn to modern-day online “bookies” or offshore gambling sites to bet. If you notice unusual payments to or from a child’s account, potentially around the same day every week, that could potentially be them “settling up” debts or winnings with a bookmaker. 

But to spot abnormal transactions, you need the ability to see them in the first place…

Visibility into finances: A critical piece 

As mentioned above, a change in financial behavior is a warning sign, and it is arguably the most important to spot, address and correct because money patterns can tell a story before behavior does. Visibility into spending can help create a critical layer of protection.

Research shows family financial ties remain strong well into young adulthood (18-34 years old), with about 59% of parents reporting they financially helped their children in the past year and fewer than half (around 45%) of young adults saying they are fully financially independent.

This matters because when parents are still financially connected, they are also in a position to insist on having visibility into where that money is being spent. This can help them spot unusual transfers or spending. Reviewing bank activity together, setting spending rails and discussing financial decisions openly can significantly reduce the risk of gambling funds flowing undetected.

In addition, many families are already using digital oversight tools in daily life. One in four parents report tracking a young adult child’s location using GPS apps, rising to 42% among parents of 18-24-year-olds, which shows that shared visibility, when used respectfully, can be an accepted part of modern family safety.

What you can do and say if you know your child is betting

Discovering gambling behavior can naturally evoke anger and fear, but evidence indicates a calm, non-judgmental approach is far more effective than confrontation or punishment. Consider a grounded, honest exchange before tilting into a long lecture.

Just as Ted Lasso reminded us when the show quoted Walt Whitman’s “be curious, not judgmental” remark, parents need to remember to open this sort of dialogue with curiosity, not accusation. 

Frequent communication is already a reality in most families. 73% of parents report texting and 54% report speaking with their young adult children multiple times per week, which means these conversations don’t have to feel unnatural or extreme. They can begin as short, respectful check-ins. And in-person conversations may be preferable for this sort of sensitive topic, as a direct connection can increase openness and allow parents to spot non-verbal cues that could indicate anything from deception to despair. 

Ask what they’re seeing among friends, how often betting comes up socially and how often they’re personally participating. Explaining how gambling rewires reward pathways, the dangers of “chasing losses,” and how much of a statistical advantage the “house” has can help create insight without shame or judgment.

If you know they’re gambling, it's also important to understand how they’re betting. If it involves offshore sportsbooks or bookies, those environments often lack consumer protections and can introduce legal and/or financial risks.

Encouraging completion of a free gambling self-assessment can help young people see their patterns clearly without feeling attacked.

If fast-paced gambling like online slots or rapid casino games is involved, the level of concern increases, as these products resolve bets in seconds and can result in significant losses quickly.

Be aware of Gambling Addiction treatment options

In cases where gambling exposure first occurs in adolescence, when the brain’s reward system is still developing and is more vulnerable to habit formation, individuals are more likely to experience gambling problems later in life.

If signs of a gambling problem begin to show, it’s critical to reinforce that specialized support exists and is confidential. Gambling addiction recovery is very much realistic, especially when addressed early.

Strong family relationships can be a foundation for recovery. In fact, 77% of parents describe their relationship with their young adult children as excellent or very good, and most young adults say they feel able to be their true selves with their parents, which creates a powerful opportunity to intervene with compassion rather than conflict.

Birches Health provides specialized, virtual treatment from licensed clinicians experienced in working with teens and young adults. These programs offer structured support, practical behavior plans and family-centered interventions that focus on validation rather than shame.

Planned interventions can help families communicate in a way that documents harm, establishes boundaries, and offers a clear path forward without blame.

You can learn more or get started with Birches Health:

Book an appointment
Call 833-483-3838
Email help@bircheshealth.com