Pennsylvania unveils statewide push to curb underage gambling

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has launched “What’s Really at Stake,” a statewide campaign to reduce underage gambling. The rollout coincides with Problem Gambling Awareness Month and the start of the NCAA basketball tournaments.

The initiative will run across social media, online ads, and printed materials, and includes a dedicated website, WhatsReallyatStake.com. The site offers free resources for teens, college students, families, schools, and counselors, including warning-sign checklists, conversation guides, and links to help services.

“The legalized gambling the PGCB regulates, and in particular online gambling, is intended for those 21 years and older,” stated Kevin O’Toole, the board’s executive director. He added that licensed operators use tools to block underage access, but “the proliferation of easily accessible illegal and unregulated sites that do not carry those protections to block underagers is a substantial reason in creating this negative situation.”

The board pointed to recent research indicating higher exposure and participation among young people. CollegeGambling.org reports that 75% of U.S. college students gambled in the past year, and 18% did so weekly or more often. Only 22% of colleges and universities have formal gambling policies. A 2023 NCAA survey found 58% of 18- to 22-year-olds engaged in sports betting, and 6% reported losing more than $500 in a single day.

Awareness of help options remains limited. In surveyed groups, 14% of men and 16% of women knew where to seek assistance. AddictionCenter.com estimates that 6% of college students meet criteria for a serious gambling problem, compared with 3% of U.S. adults. A Massachusetts state study found that 33.7% of minors under 18 gambled over a one-year period, and research cited by the board indicates more than one in three boys ages 11 to 17 placed a bet in the past year.

Youth contacts to Pennsylvania’s helpline, 1-800-GAMBLER, have increased, according to the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania. “In recent years, calls to the helpline regarding young individuals in Pennsylvania have increased,” observed Josh Ercole, the council’s executive director. “With so much access and availability, especially in unregulated forms of gambling, it is critical to have open discussions about risks and potential harms. It is also important to understand that while underage individuals playing games like these may seem innocent, early exposure and participation can lead to future problems.”

Pennsylvania law restricts casino gambling, online casino play, sports betting, and online sports wagering to people 21 and older. Regulators note that licensed operators use identity checks and age verification to prevent underage access, while offshore and unregulated sites often lack those controls.

The campaign complements the PGCB’s ResponsiblePlay.pa.gov portal, which offers self-exclusion information, family guidelines, and treatment referrals. New materials developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to help parents and educators address sports and online gambling risks are available through the Department of Education.

The launch is timed to one of the year’s busiest betting periods, when interest in wagering rises during March Madness. Campaign materials highlight how to recognize problem signs, the safeguards in regulated platforms, and where to find counseling and helpline support.