“The Gambling Talk”: Many Parents Worry Their Kids Will Gamble Before Legal Age, Yet Only Half of Parents of School-Age Kids Have Had the Conversation, New NCPG/Harris Poll Finds

Nine in ten parents say the right resources would make the conversation easier

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Most parents are worried about their kids gambling before they’re old enough, yet only half of parents with school-age kids (6-17) (51%) have had “the gambling talk” with them. A new national survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) finds that 64% of parents with children under 18 are concerned about them taking part in gambling activities before they reach legal gambling age. That includes sports betting, prediction markets, lottery play, and fantasy sports apps.

Research shows that young people face heightened risk of developing a gambling problem. The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for planning and decision-making, is one of the last to mature and does not finish developing until the mid-to-late 20s, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

NCPG is calling for parents to have “The Gambling Talk,” a conversation about gambling that NCPG believes belongs alongside talks about drugs and alcohol, sex, and online safety. Half of parents of kids ages 6–17 (51%) say they have already talked with their kids about the risks of gambling. Of the other half who haven’t, most intend to: 40% say they plan to have the conversation, while 9% say they don’t.

Parents also say they want help having that conversation. Nine in ten parents of children under 18 (90%) identified at least one resource that would make it easier to talk with their kids about gambling and its risks, most often:

• Information about the signs of problem gambling, such as chasing losses, hiding the behavior, or damaged relationships (50%)
• Information about the risks of youth gambling (49%)
• Guidance on when to start the conversation (44%)
• Tips and examples of how to talk to children about gambling (39%)
• Information about where to get help or support for a gambling problem (34%)

“Parents are concerned about their children’s exposure to gambling, which makes sense as sports betting and prediction markets become more accessible and visible,” said Derek Longmeier, NCPG’s Board President. “We’re hearing from parents who want to better understand the risks and are asking for practical resources to help them have these conversations with their kids. NCPG is working to meet that need by expanding access to information and tools that help families recognize the risks of underage gambling and take steps to prevent harm.”

Concern is especially high among fathers. Nearly three in four fathers of children under 18 (74%) say they are concerned about their children gambling before the legal age, compared with 55% of mothers. Fathers are also more likely to have already talked with their kids about gambling: 61% of fathers of children ages 6–17 say they have had the conversation, compared with 42% of mothers.

The findings come ahead of NCPG’s annual Gift Responsibly and Too Young to Bet campaign, which runs through November and December. The Gift Responsibly Campaign raises awareness and educates communities about the risks of giving children lottery products, while Too Young to Bet, introduced in 2025, expands the educational campaign to all forms of gambling children may encounter. Too Young to Bet, a finalist this year for the 6^th Annual Anthem Awards carries the campaign’s message beyond lottery tickets to the many forms of gambling children now encounter. Campaign participation reached a record in 2025, with more than 230 lotteries, gambling operators, and community partners taking part.

“The Too Young to Bet Campaign exists for exactly the moment these parents describe,” said Longmeier. “Kids are seeing gambling everywhere — during the game, on their phones, and with gifts from well-intentioned adults who simply aren’t aware of the risks involved. We’re providing families and the organizations that serve them with the education and resources they need to better understand the risks of underage gambling and help prevent harm.”

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of NCPG from October 6–8, 2026 among 2,020 adults ages 18 and older, among whom 583 are parents of kids under 18. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.

Download the complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, here.