BOSTON – March Madness comes with a lot of excitement, but also a lot of concern when it comes to placing bets for young fans.
On Thursday, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell issued an update on youth sports betting safety with one goal in mind: to ensure that 12-year-olds and 20-year-olds are protected and provided with information about health risks. announced the establishment of a coalition. gambling.
“As you all know, Massachusetts has entered what everyone is calling a new era of sports betting,” said Attorney General Campbell.
We live in an era where sports betting is literally available at your fingertips. And that's what concerns Campbell most.
“Betting on games and even in-game performance is now as easy as a swipe on millions of mobile phones across the commonwealth,” Campbell said.
According to NCAA national data, 58% of 18-22 year olds have participated in at least one sports betting activity.
People who have participated in sports betting say it's fun and adrenaline-filled, while others say it makes watching the games more fun.
Sports betting will become legal in Massachusetts in 2022 under a bill signed by Governor Baker.
Now, Campbell said it's their job to gamble as safely and responsibly as possible, which led to the launch of the Youth Sports Betting Safety Coalition.
Former governor and current NCAA president Charlie Baker also said he wants states to ban “prop bets.” These types of bets allow gamblers to bet on a player's statistics, which puts a lot of pressure on student-athletes.
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“One of the things that student-athletes often told me was that it's very complicated when someone says to me, “I bet on you last weekend and you lost. I have a problem and you can help me.’ If I don’t take the first shot in the next game, my problem is solved,” Baker said.
This collaboration will be a collaboration between the Mass Gaming Commission, the NCAA, the Mass Council on Gaming and Health, civic engagement projects, and local sports teams.
Together, they will develop education, training and health curricula for people ages 12 to 20.
Marlene Warner said: “The current situation regarding youth and gambling in the Commonwealth requires urgent attention, which is why we are committed to supporting our beloved sports teams as they work tirelessly to prevent injuries during play. In the same way, we must all work together to prevent the negative consequences of gambling among young people.” , CEO of the Mass Council on Games and Health.
Attorney General Campbell said there was more work to be done. What's their next step? Reach out to carriers and other stakeholders to brainstorm other ways to prevent young people from accessing these apps.
