By Brooke Swanson
June 2, 2025
Gen Z isn’t walking into the casinos, they’re holding them in the palms of their hands.
From the roar of a horse race to the neon-lit casinos of Las Vegas, gambling has long been woven into the fabric of American culture. Once a destination activity, reserved for a day at the racetrack or a weekend getaway, the rise of online gambling sites has made this once-taboo pastime a daily affair for many young people.
In 2018, the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Murphy v. NCAA, overturning the Professional and Amatuer Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, which had banned sports betting nationwide. This new legalization caused a domino effect, leading to the rise of popular online sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM to name a few. Today, online gambling is an estimated $9.5 billion per year business.
With the illusion of easy money, numerous celebrity endorsements and betting apps just a tap away, a new epidemic is emerging for Gen Z, blurring the line between entertainment and addiction.
The expansion of the online gambling industry has not only made sports betting and casino games more easily accessible, but it has also revolutionized the industry’s reach, tapping into more “non-traditional” topics and events to bet on.
In the midst of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, thousands of Americans took to Polymarket or Kalshi, companies which call themselves “prediction markets,” to bet on not only the two main nominees, but also the outcomes of specific states, especially those crucial swing states. According to Polymarket, traders brought in over $3.6 billion in bets.
This wasn’t the only event where people put their money on the line. Just months after the legalization of online gambling, the 91st Academy Awards saw Americans wager on Hollywood’s biggest night for the very first time, using online sportsbooks like ESPN BET to put money on potential winners of various awards.
With physical barriers gone, gambling is virtually everywhere. It’s becoming a cultural norm embedded into entertainment, making it much more socially acceptable and harder to recognize as potentially harmful.
A study led by researchers at the University of California San Diego found record levels of gambling addiction following the landmark Supreme Court decision, with approximately 6.5 to 7.3 million seeking help nationally, and 180,000 monthly. Michigan alone experienced a 37% increase in gambling addiction-related searches.
With the stigmas surrounding gambling decreasing and the normalization increasing, online gambling addictions can be hard to spot and admit. It’s important to set boundaries and instill self-awareness when putting your money on the line. Set firm limits on time and money spent and always remember that outcomes are never guaranteed. In an industry designed to keep you coming back, the most powerful move you can make is to walk away.
Brooke Swanson is a recent public relations graduate of Michigan State University. In her free time she enjoys reading a good book, watching a new movie, and spending time with her friends, family and two labradors Jake and Cliff.