When you think of gambling, you may instantly think of Las Vegas. You think of fancy casinos, lots of money and massive jackpots. However, with new technology and social platforms, this perception is no longer the only scenario in which gambling is prevalent. In the last few years, many new laws have been put into place to allow sports gambling for the first time in history. Another addition to the new set of loosened gambling laws includes online casino gambling available through various apps. Many people are enjoying these apps and options accessible to them, but could this easy access target younger, impressionable audiences and be harmful in the long run?

When I traveled to Grand Rapids from Chicago, I would see a billboard for a casino app or rewards program every fifteen minutes along the highway—every, single one caught my eye. They all promoted free money with sign-up or a money-back guarantee if you lose, which clearly sounds like a steal. Another thing that caught my attention was out of the fifteen billboards I saw, only one was a warning about the negatives of gambling, which is often not talked about enough.

I think online casinos should be more cautious since they are marketed to younger adults who are more likely to get in trouble with gambling. There are lots of ‘free bets,’ so it seems like nothing could possibly go wrong until you start depositing your own money (which almost always ends up happening), and at this point all bet odds are against you. Some people fail to realize that casinos always have a couple percent edge to win on every game or bet, which ideally means, in the long run, you are statistically bound to lose money the more you gamble.

This reality is an issue and what is happening when huge casinos target younger populations. The younger generations are more susceptible to forming an addiction to gambling than the older generations, especially if they are exposed to it every day on all platforms available to them. Younger kids, who just now can download apps and gamble, are putting in much more than they can afford. With every commercial break during a sports game having a celebrity endorsement promoting a casino app it makes it impossible to notice how often we consume this content. Aside from the dangers of this constant exposure reflecting gambling in a positive light, gambling has been known to cause various mental health issues like anxiety, depression and addiction. Huge casino companies should know they are reaching younger consumers daily and evaluate how they market since some of their content may mislead the younger generation.

Ultimately, I don’t think gambling should be banned or that betting on sports should be frowned upon, but the way casinos advertise needs to be regulated more. It should be entertainment with friends or to make your favorite sports game more interesting. After it becomes no longer entertaining and becomes more of a financial and anxiety-provoking mess, it can go from a positive to a negative experience. Something intended to be entertainment should not project these types of things. Just be aware of when you cross the line so then you know when to take a break or lower the stakes.