Brightly colored posters with messages such as “Is your friend always on sports betting apps?” have become mainstays at bulletin boards and shuttle stations on campus since the start of the academic year. Displayed in their bottom right corner is the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s seal, and just beside it is a logo for its “Let’s Get Real About Gambling” initiative. A document promoting the initiative claims, “We don’t just want to help individuals dealing with problem gambling; we want to mitigate harms associated with problem gambling in Massachusetts.” Meanwhile, on the bottom left corner of all posters, a quick response code links to the department’s “Problem Gambling” page. 

These posters are an acknowledgement of the increased use of sports betting and gambling apps among college-aged individuals. Gambling experts, such as those at Rutgers’ Center for Gambling Studies, express that “with 24/7 access to betting platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel, young adults are increasingly engaging in sports wagering, often without recognizing the risks.” These risks include meaningful financial losses, mental instability through signs of depression and anxiety as well as jeopardizing significant relationships with friends or employers. 

Young adults are particularly susceptible to problem gambling due to their newfound financial independence and impressionability. In juggling the financial strain of attending college, part-time jobs and renting, students can form a dependency on mobile phone sports betting more easily than older adults can. In fact, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health notes that within the state “problem gambling impacts about 4-8% of youths, compared to just 1% of adults.” 

The accessibility and promotion of sports betting to students provides the chance to gamble while in lectures and alongside friends, making it a seemingly casual act. Companies like DraftKings have leveraged college students’ gambling inexperience using flashy colors and entertaining advertisements during collegiate sports broadcasts to encourage youth rates of engagement. According to a survey conducted by the NCAA in 2023, 58% of 18 to 22-year-olds had engaged in sports betting at least once during the year. Furthermore, “41% of college students who bet on sports have placed a bet on their school's teams and 35% have used a student bookmaker.” With the Massachusetts legal age to gamble being 21, students specifically rely on each other or on mobile apps to place bets. 

Kalshi is one such app that has become overwhelmingly popular. Their influence has been so negative for students, financially and emotionally, that on Oct. 30 the NCAA sent a letter to the company asking that they “reduce instances of abuse and harassment directed at student-athletes and other participants.” However, the app claims no wrongdoing, adding that they “do not fall under state jurisdiction and [are] instead regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, a federal agency.” As such, Kalshi has avoided the limitations that most sports betting companies and casinos face. Now, with unfettered access to the app and others, students are igniting a “self-reinforcing cycle” of betting. 

The University of Wisconsin’s the Daily Cardinal states, “The intersection of sports betting and mental health is particularly concerning … A student who loses a bet may feel compelled to chase their losses, leading to more betting and deeper financial troubles.” The issue is so apparent in students that universities have begun implementing gambling-related screening questions into health surveys and counseling intake forms. 

The Justice reached out to the Brandeis Counseling Center’s Director Addie Wyman and Director of Healthcare Operations LaShaun Lockhart for a comment in a Nov. 11 email. Without a response, it cannot be said that the BCC offers gambling specific services. Meanwhile, according to their website, assessments, consultations and references are available for drug and alcohol concerns. Additionally, there are no resources for those struggling with gambling addictions on the BCC or Student Health Center websites despite their categorization as mental health disorders. 

This absence does not mean Brandeis students are not being impacted by sports betting’s popularity. At this year’s Brandeis SparkTank 2025: Celebrating Innovation and Impact, the second place winner of the startup pitching event was “BarBets, a platform offering a risk-free alternative to sports betting to enhance the bar-going experience.” The idea is to mimic the sociability and excitement of betting without monetary concerns by offering bar specific redeemable rewards. Though the service is unfortunately unavailable, it’s proof of concept for acknowledging the risks of sport betting from the student perspective. 

At present, the only University resource that appeals to students about the risks of sports betting are the posters supplied by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Nonetheless, the issue is one of national merit and generational concern. However, with the posters slated to be taken down in mid-December, will Brandeis continue to support the department’s initiative with alternative programs, such as those implemented at other universities’ counseling centers? For now, even without specific institutional plans, the BCC and the University can provide general aid to students struggling with problem gambling.