2026 U.S. Prevalence Study Finds High Rates of Problem Gambling Among Adolescents and Young Adults
Young people should be able to grow up without preventable financial and mental health harms. Yet an increasing number of adolescents are gambling well before adulthood. A 2026 national survey of 1,677 Americans ages 13–27 found that 52.5% had gambled in the past year, including 42.7% of 13–17-year-olds. Among young people who gambled, 39.5% showed some level of gambling-related risk and 10.3% screened at high risk for problem gambling.
Highlights
Risk starts early and is not limited to boys. Among adolescents who gambled, 10.8% screened at high risk for gambling problems, similar to the 11.3% among gamblers ages 21–27. High-risk classifications were also similar among males (9.9%) and females (10.7%) who gambled, unlike in prior surveys. Prevention efforts aimed only at adult men will miss many young people.
of 13- to 27-year-olds gambled
of 13- to 17-year-olds gambled
of gamblers had some risk
of gamblers were high risk
Contacts
Media Contact
Megan Florance (Schumann)
Director of Public Relations and Content, R-Comm, Public and Media Relations
848-445-1907
megan.schumann@rutgers.edu
Lead Author
Lia Nower, J.D., Ph.D.
Director, Rutgers University Center for Gambling Studies
lnower@rutgers.edu
