Starting March 11, 2024, North Carolinians will be able to legally place sports bets online. The effects are already evident in advertising virtually everywhere: on social media, billboards, TV, and even podcasts.
Rosa Lee, a professor in the Department of Psychological and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is concerned that these ads may be particularly dangerous for young adult men. She said this group, especially those with a college education, are at greatest risk of becoming problem gamblers.
“This is also the time when adolescents are particularly drawn to reward and reward-seeking. The front part of their brain, the prefrontal cortex, is slowly maturing into their early 20s.” she explained.
Lee added, “The part of the brain that tells you, ‘This might not be the best idea,’ or ‘Let’s think about suppressing that first impulse, let’s think about exercising self-control,’ is still relatively weak. It’s immature.”
In a class focused on brain development during adolescence, Lee teaches students about a critical time frame called the “second window of development.” She said this is a time when habits are formed, both good and bad.
“This is second only to the first three years of life,” Lee said.
Many of the ads on sports gambling sites feature prominent figures such as celebrities and athletes. Lee said that could make the site more appealing to young adult men.
“This kind of behavior can be very attractive and appear to be ‘socially normative,'” she says. “Especially if you see celebrities you really respect or athletes you really respect promoting these sites.”
Only 12 states nationwide still ban sports betting. Alabama is one of them.
The Alabama Policy Institute is among the state’s critics, citing the addictive effects online gambling sites can have on young people as a reason for its opposition.
Just last month, a state House committee debated a new bill that raised some concerns.
“Sports betting companies target young people, especially adolescent males, with the goal of creating lifelong customers. It has been found that a man’s frontal lobe is not fully formed until he is 25 years old. Gambling “The industry is intentionally targeting an audience that is ill-prepared for its products,” said Stephanie Smith, president and CEO of the Alabama Policy Institute. Ta.
Professor Smith said sports betting is “pervasive on university campuses and across the country.”
Starting March 11, the legal age to place sports bets online in North Carolina will be 21.
Ms Lee said she was concerned that age restrictions would be difficult to enforce online. Traditional in-person casinos have bouncers who check IDs.
“Let’s be honest, many teens are more digitally savvy than the adults raising them, so the chances of underage children finding a way to access these gambling sites are low. “There is enough and I think it will probably happen,” she says. she said.
Each advertisement for a sports gambling service must include an addiction support service number.
However, Lee pointed out that most of these numbers are small and difficult to distinguish from other legal disclaimers.
Lee said feeling frustrated or anxious when you can’t place a bet could be a sign of withdrawal. Other symptoms of sports gambling behavior to look out for include chasing losses, inability to perform normal responsibilities or duties, and inability to stop gambling.
If you or a loved one needs support, please call 1800-GAMBLER or 1877-718-5543. According to the National Problem Gambling Helpline, more than 1.9 million people have contacted the organization for support since 2016.
