New data reveals the alarming financial behavior of America’s 18-34 gambling generation, raised entirely in the era of the legal betting app.
A survey by the National Council on Problem Gambling found 65% of US adults aged 21+ report gambling before age 21.
15.4% of 18–24-year-old gamblers and 13.7% of 25-34 year olds have sold personal possessions to fund gambling. Combined across both groups, this represents an estimated 12 million Americans aged 18-34 who have sold belongings to place bets – one of the most recognized clinical markers of severe problem gambling.
Sports betting was legalized in 38 US states plus Washington DC by the end of 2025. Commercial gaming revenue broke records at $78.7 billion in 2025.
The Journal of the American Medical Association found that online sportsbook launches drove gambling addiction help-seeking searches up 34-67% across many states.
Among Americans aged 25-34, nearly half are gambling on debt, over a third are lying to loved ones about it, and an estimated 12 million 18-34 year olds have sold possessions to keep playing. This is the generation that grew up with the sportsbook app – and the financial damage is now measurable at scale.
João Mourato, Head of iGaming Product at VIP Grinders said these findings are very disturbing and says there may need to be limits on how much young people can wager.
“This generation has never known a world without legal sports betting apps. They were teenagers when the floodgates opened in 2018. They have been marketed relentlessly ever since. The fact that nearly half of 25-34 year olds are gambling on debt is the predictable outcome of an industry that expanded faster than the regulatory frameworks designed to protect consumers,” he said.
