Illegal sports betting by minors puts their mental health at risk

Since the Supreme Court widely legalized sports wagering in 2018 the nation’s appetite for bets has exploded. U.S. betters made over a billion dollars worth of bets in 2025 on sports alone. This year’s Super Bowl is expected to attract $1.7 billion in legal U.S. wagers. But investigators are finding that there’s also been a surge in illegal betting by minors. Are sportsbooks putting our children in harm’s way? USA TODAY Investigative Reporter Nick Penzenstadler joins The Excerpt to share his reporting.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to [email protected]. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.