Sen. Gounardes: Underage Gambling Crisis Requires Urgent Action

Gounardes’ ‘Sports Wagering and Minors Act’ would help prevent illegal underage gambling on sports betting websites and apps

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JANUARY 29, 2026

New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes issued the following statement in response to a new report from Common Sense Media that finds more than a third of teenage boys have admitted to gambling in the past year:

“Sports betting companies are playing roulette with kids’ health and safety. It’s the newest version of an old con: corporations take advantage of our society’s most vulnerable—in this case, children—then turn a blind eye to the consequences. This new report makes clear that this problem is widespread and demands urgent action. 

“My Sports Wagering and Minors Act holds companies accountable and gives parents new tools to keep kids safe. There’s no reason to gamble with our children’s well-being.”

Background:

Common Sense Media’s new report, "Betting on Boys: Understanding Gambling Among Adolescent Boys," finds teen boys are largely exposed to gambling through sports betting and video games “in loot boxes, skin cases, and other reward systems that blur the line between playing and paying” and are exposed to gambling advertisements through algorithmic social media feeds ads. The study finds more than a third of teenage boys ages 11-17 have admitted to gambling in the past year, and 60% are seeing ads for gambling on YouTube and social media.

Senator Gounardes’ Sports Wagering and Minors Act (S.7908) is designed to prevent illegal underage gambling on sports betting websites and apps by requiring operators to conduct age assurance for account holders and to allow parents to register their personal data so an underage user cannot borrow it to create an account. The legislation offers a commonsense, practical approach to the growing problem of underage sports betting in New York and its deeply disturbing consequences.

Senator Gounardes has passed numerous pieces of legislation to protect kids’ privacy and safety online, including the New York Child Data Protection Act and the SAFE for Kids Act, as well as requirements for social media warning labels.

Press Contact:

Billy Richling

Communications Director

State Senator Andrew Gounardes

billy@senatorgounardes.nyc

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