Digital wagering rises among university students

Recent survey data reveals an increase in digital wagering among college students, including online sportsbooks and prediction markets. According to findings from Inside Higher Ed, approximately 15 percent of undergraduate students reported participating in online sports betting, prediction-market trading, or other forms of digital wagering since enrolling in college. The participation rate is higher among men, at 25 percent, and includes 12 percent of undergraduates aged 25 and older.

While 11 percent of student success administrators surveyed view digital wagering as an escalating mental health or financial safety crisis, many students believe institutions are not doing enough to address it. Nearly 45 percent of male undergraduates and one-third of female undergraduates agree that their institutions are underresponding to the issue. Additionally, roughly 31 percent of men and 25 percent of women reported knowing students who have faced academic fallout or financial distress due to wagering losses.