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The United States is swiftly evolving into a landscape of gambling addiction among the youth, verging on crisis. Concerned voices echo from various fronts: clinics are inundated with adolescents and young adults, assistance hotlines are inundated with referrals, and experts are issuing urgent warnings.
Outbreak among the youth
Gaming addiction treatment facilities are experiencing a surge in patients aged 13 to 25, while helplines are inundated with thousands of calls each week from worried relatives. Felicia Grondin, director of the New Jersey Council on Compulsive Gambling, asserts that "numerous adolescents have developed gambling addictions."
Paradoxically, New Jersey spearheaded the legalization of sports betting in 2018. However, since then, calls to the state's helpline have doubled. With hundreds of calls annually from anxious relatives, concerns about an epidemic among the younger generation have escalated.
Reports on the increasing volume of calls to gambling addiction support hotlines are making headlines. Medical institutions are experiencing a surge in young patients under the age of 25.
Smartphones as a catalyst for the issue
Placing bets in the United States has become exceedingly convenient. Access to gambling, once confined to casinos and racetracks, is now readily available through smartphones, present in millions of pockets across the nation. Brad Ruderman from the Beit T'Shuvah Addiction Treatment Center in Los Angeles remarks, "Smartphones have made all forms of gambling accessible to everyone.
While most states stipulate a minimum age of 21 for sports betting and 18 for fantasy contests, the issue of underage engagement is escalating. Keith White, the director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, conducted a survey among 40 seventeen-year-old boys in Virginia, revealing that 36 of them admitted to having a sports betting app on their phones.
Ruderman remarked that gambling "is becoming an increasingly youthful activity." He pointed out that since the brain isn't fully developed until the age of 25, individuals who engage in betting before that age may not fully comprehend the risks involved. "They are highly susceptible to dopamine and endorphins," he added.
Furthermore, the imperative to safeguard children online pertains not only to gambling but also encompasses the proliferation of harmful content and the risks associated with social media.
It's time to raise the alarm
A 2018 Supreme Court decision altered the gambling landscape throughout the United States, granting states the authority to determine the legalization of sports betting. Shortly thereafter, New Jersey passed legislation to legalize sports betting.
"Since the legalization of sports betting, we've witnessed a significant surge," remarked Grondin from the New Jersey Gaming Council. The hotline's usage "continues to rise steadily," she added.
The percentage of individuals under 25 seeking assistance increased from 11.5% in 2018 to 19.6% this year.
Grondin suggests that the US should adopt measures similar to those implemented in the UK, such as imposing limitations on gambling advertisements and introducing warning labels on gaming platforms.
In conclusion
Undoubtedly, downloading mostbet app apk or applications from Melbet, 1Win or other betting companies, you can have a great time. However, this easy and accessible form of gambling can be detrimental to individuals struggling with gambling addiction. Therefore, the rise in cases of ludomania is not unexpected.