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Were You or Your Child Harmed by an Online Sports Betting or Gambling App?
Online sports betting and internet gambling have grown rapidly across the United States, making it easier than ever to place bets from a smartphone or computer. While these platforms are marketed as entertainment, growing research has raised concerns that certain app features may encourage compulsive gambling behavior, particularly among teenagers and young adults whose brains are still developing.
Levin Papantonio is investigating potential claims involving online sports betting and gambling platforms for individuals who developed a gambling addiction or experienced significant financial, emotional, or psychological harm after using these products.
If you or a loved one may have been affected, contact Levin Papantonio today for a free, confidential case evaluation to learn whether you have legal options. Complete our free case evaluation form or call (800) 277-1193 to speak with a member of our team.
Online sports betting allows users to wager on professional, collegiate, and other sporting events through mobile apps and websites. Many platforms also offer online casino games (iGaming), fantasy sports contests, live betting, and other forms of online gambling.
Until 2018, sports betting was largely prohibited in the United States under the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). That changed when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled PASPA unconstitutional, allowing states to legalize and regulate sports betting. Since then, the industry has experienced rapid growth.
Today, FanDuel and DraftKings are among the largest online sports betting companies in the United States, together representing a significant share of the regulated online sportsbook, iGaming, and fantasy sports markets.
The growth of online gambling has been substantial. In 2025:
Online sports betting is now legal in more than 30 states, with the minimum legal age set at 21 in most. Exceptions include Washington, D.C., Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Wyoming, where individuals may legally place sports bets at age 18.
Online casino gambling, also known as iGaming, is currently legal in seven states: Delaware, West Virginia, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The minimum legal age for iGaming is 21 in each of these states.
Fantasy sports contests are also widely available across the United States. The legal age in most states is 18, with the exceptions of Alabama and Nebraska at 19, and Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, and Massachusetts at 21. Only five states, including Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Washington, do not permit fantasy sports betting apps.
Research suggests that participation in online sports betting is particularly common among younger adults. Surveys have found that approximately 34% of Gen Z and 42% of Millennials have participated in sports betting, making young adults one of the industry’s fastest-growing user groups. Some sportsbooks have also entered into marketing partnerships with colleges and universities, allowing advertising on or near college campuses. These trends have raised concerns among researchers, parents, and public health advocates about the potential impact of online gambling on younger users.
Research has shown that adolescents and young adults may be more vulnerable to addictive behaviors because the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for impulse control, decision-making, and risk assessment, continues developing into the mid-twenties.
Studies have also found that gambling activates many of the same brain reward pathways associated with substance addiction.
This may make younger users more susceptible to developing compulsive gambling behaviors after repeated exposure to online betting platforms.
Many online sports betting platforms include features designed to maximize user engagement. Critics argue that some of these features may also increase the risk of compulsive gambling.
Examples include:
Some users also report difficulties with account closures or self-exclusion requests.
In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association recognized Gambling Disorder as the first and only behavioral addiction included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). It is classified alongside substance-related addictions.
Symptoms may include:
Compulsive gambling has been associated with increased risks of:
If you or a loved one is struggling with problem gambling, know that help is available. Support and treatment resources can make a difference. Visit the Resources for Gambling Addiction section below for organizations that offer confidential assistance and crisis support.
Some lawsuits allege that certain online sports betting platforms were designed in ways that encouraged excessive gambling while failing to adequately warn users about the potential risks of addiction.
Depending on the facts of each case, legal claims being investigated may include:
You may wish to speak with an attorney if you or a loved one:
Medical records, treatment records, account history, and other documentation may help evaluate a potential claim.
The compensation available in an online sports betting or gambling addiction lawsuit depends on the specific facts of each case. While every claim is different, individuals who qualify may be able to seek compensation for damages such as:
An experienced attorney can review your situation and explain what types of compensation may be available based on your individual circumstances.
For decades, Levin Papantonio has represented individuals and families in litigation involving products and technologies that allegedly caused widespread public harm. Today, our attorneys are involved in litigation addressing the impact of digital platforms on children, teenagers, and young adults.
Our work includes representing clients in social media addiction litigation, where lawsuits allege that certain social media platforms were intentionally designed with addictive features that contributed to mental health harms among young users. Our attorneys have also been involved in litigation concerning Roblox, where families allege the platform failed to adequately protect children from online exploitation and other foreseeable harms.
These cases raise similar concerns about online sports betting and gambling apps, including allegations that digital products use engagement-driven design features, personalized recommendations, continuous notifications, reward systems, and other behavioral techniques that encourage prolonged use and compulsive behavior.
As online technologies continue to evolve, Levin Papantonio remains committed to investigating claims involving products that may place profits ahead of user safety, particularly when those products affect children, teenagers, and young adults. The firm’s efforts also extend beyond the courtroom through community education initiatives focused on youth online safety, digital wellness, and helping parents better understand online risks.
If you or a loved one developed a gambling addiction or suffered serious financial, emotional, or mental health harm after using an online sports betting or gambling app, you may have legal options.
Levin Papantonio is investigating claims involving online sports betting and underage online gambling. Our team can review your situation, answer your questions, and help determine whether you may qualify to pursue a claim.
Complete our free case evaluation form or call (800) 277-1193 to speak with a member of our team.
If you or someone you know needs help, resources are available 24/7.
National Problem Gambling HelplineCall or text 1-800-MY-RESETncpgambling.org/help-treatment/
Gamblers Anonymousgamblersanonymous.org/
988 LifelineCall or text 988 or visit the website to use their online chat feature.988lifeline.org/
Crisis Text LineText Home to 741741 or visit the website to use their online chat feature.crisistextline.org/
Investigations include major online sports betting and gambling platforms, such as FanDuel and DraftKings.
The legal age varies by state and by product. Most online sportsbooks require users to be at least 21, while some states permit sports betting or fantasy sports at age 18 or 19.
Yes. Gambling Disorder is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association and is included in the DSM-5 as a behavioral addiction.
Online platforms provide continuous access from nearly anywhere, often with live betting, instant deposits, personalized promotions, and other features that may encourage more frequent gambling.
Not necessarily. While financial losses may be one factor, many investigations focus on individuals who experienced more significant harm, such as Gambling Disorder, the need for addiction treatment, serious mental health complications, substantial financial hardship, or other lasting consequences allegedly related to compulsive use of an online gambling platform. Each potential claim is evaluated based on its individual facts.
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