(WXYZ) — The Super Bowl is fast approaching, and experts are sounding the alarm about the dangers of underage kids and online gambling.
A new national poll done in partnership with the University of Michigan shows one in six parents admit they likely wouldn't know if their teen was betting online.
Related: If you think you may have a gambling problem, you can call the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline at 800-270-7117.
Also, the poll shows 63% of parents say they've seen or heard ads for online sports or casino betting.
Online gambling is huge in Michigan and is legal in six states – Michigan, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia – while oline sports betting is legal in 38 states. Experts say a smartphone can often be a gateway in.
Kirsten Douglass is one parent who is concerned about the temptation for underage kids to start making online bets.
“They’re just one swipe away or one pop-up add away from being exposed to online gambling," Douglass said.
It's part of the reason she said her son, who will be soon entering high school, won't be getting a phone.
“My son would get a pop-up and he says, 'Mom, guess what? If we play this game we can win $10,000,'" she said.
Turns out, Douglass' fears aren't without good reason, according to Sarah Clark with the University of Michigan, who helped lead and analyze a national poll that examined how often parents may be unaware of kids turning to online betting.
"What’s most alarming to you about access young people have to online gaming?" I asked.
"What’s most alarming to me, is that in a national sample of parents of kids 14-18, only 2% thought their kid was using online betting apps," she said.
She said that's a far cry from what could be reality.
“Kids are smart and share information easily, and parents are foolish to think kids under 18 or 21 wouldn’t be able to find a way to engage in online gambling," Clark said.
She adds that rules differing from state to state can also cause confusion. In Michigan, the legal age to wager is 21.
Clark also points out that gambling is ingrained in our culture.
“I think a lot of families do an NCAA tournament pool, or church bingo, or Super Bowl squares fundraiser. Gambling is all around kids anyway," she said.
Digging deeper into what's being done to create safeguards, I've found popular online casinos are far more heavily regulated, with protocols similar to banking apps. They require social security information, bank account information and potentially proof of ID. But, experts say lesser-known social sites can be easier to access and open an account without proof of age.
"Having counseled teenagers, what’s most dangerous about this in your mind?" I asked Dr. Howard Belkin, a child psychiatrist.
"What online gambling does is it hijacks the brain’s reward system," he said. "Early exposure to gambling, increases the risk there will be a lifelong addiction."
Belkin knows first-hand how dangerous it can be for a child to engage in gambling on the internet, and what long-term effects could follow, including addiction.
"A teen will win or lose. It makes the teen crave the next win, even as their losses pile up, they want to go back and back. They’re chasing their losses," Belkin said.
I also took these concerns to a gambling disorder prevention expert with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
“My biggest message to parents and all Michiganders pays attention to behaviors, and pay attention to being involved and knowing activities your kids are involved in," Alia Lucas with the MDHHS said.
Experts say online betting can be difficult to detect because teens can delete search history on their phones or hide all apps together. The issue has the attention of some of our state's top health experts, who encourage parents to talk with their kids.
"A big part of the problem is, in the adolescent mind and brain they are wired for risk. Online gambling feeds that impulse in a manner of instant highs," Belkin said.
According to the national poll, with more gambling ads circulating, a third of parents say they or another adult in the home take part in some form of betting, which can also generate interest for an underage person.
For Douglass, it's also why she's rolling the dice on a cell phone for her son.
“The kids aren't realizing this is just an entryway into gambling," Douglass said.
For anyone feeling concerned, the state does have the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline. You can call 800-270-7117.
Sadly, Clark said exposure to gambling can also turn sporting events that are enjoyable to watch with friends into a more negative and isolating experience.
Among warning signs for parents are kids asking for money, valuables missing, increased interest in new teams or having lots of new money on hand.
