How underage gambling is impacting the mental well-being of kids and teens
Did you or your child experience depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts as a result of underage gambling? You may have a claim to seek compensation. Fill out the form on this page to see if you qualify for an underage gambling lawsuit.
Many online casinos use age verification processes that are notoriously easy to bypass. This failure has enabled a growing crisis: children and teens are developing gambling addictions and experiencing severe mental health symptoms long before they are legally allowed to play.
To make matters worse, some evidence suggests that these platforms are not just negligent — they may be deliberately targeting minors through aggressive social media campaigns, influencer marketing, and sponsored streaming sessions.
If you or your child developed a gambling addiction or other mental health issue as a result of online gambling before turning 18, you are not alone. An online gambling lawsuit may be able to help you seek compensation for treatment, lost wages, underage gambling losses and more.
Do you qualify?
If you or your child is under the age of 21 and engaged in underage online gambling and experienced mental health issues as a result, you are not alone, and you may qualify to seek compensation through an underage gambling lawsuit.
To receive a free case review and verify your eligibility, complete the form on this page.
Fill out the form on this page for more information.
The law firms responsible for the content of this page are: Schenk Law Firm, San Diego, CA, 858-424-4444, schenklawfirm.com and LegaFi Law LLC (an Arizona law firm), 888-4-LegaFi, www.legafi.com.
Underage online gambling: Understanding the growing problem
Underage gambling has become a serious issue among teens and young adults. With online platforms — such as Stake online casino — access has never been easier, and many young people are drawn in without fully understanding the associated financial and psychological risks, which could have lifelong effects on their mental health.
Unfortunately, this has led to a growing crisis that is heavily impacting the mental well-being of young people across the country. Leading addiction resources report that between 60% and 80% of teenagers have gambled in some form, and up to 6% of them may already show signs of gambling addiction.
The mental health and personal risks associated with underage gambling
Gambling addiction can have severe, lasting effects on a young person’s mental health, social life, academics and future prospects.
Mental health symptoms of gambling addiction
Young people who gamble underage may experience:
- Loss of interest in hobbies and activities
- Sleep disturbances
- Trouble concentrating
- Rage or violent outbursts (Frustration over losses or restrictions)
- Severe anxiety and depression
- Suicidal thoughts or attempts
Academic and professional impacts
Underage gambling can also derail a young person’s educational and career trajectory:
- Academic failure or school dropout
- Loss of scholarships or academic opportunities
- Reduced career prospects
Financial and behavioral consequences
In addition to the mental health impacts of underage gambling addiction, the financial implications may create devastating, lasting repercussions for the individual and the family:
- Depleted savings and college funds
- Maxed-out credit cards or mounting debt
- Bankruptcy risk
- Criminal behavior (desperate attempts to fund gambling can lead to theft, fraud, or other legal issues)
Influencers and ads: marketing to teen gamblers
Evidence suggests that online casino operators employ sophisticated digital marketing tactics designed to appeal directly to a young audience, who tend to be more susceptible to addictive behavior.
- Influencer marketing: Stake and other online casinos pay popular social media figures and streamers to aggressively promote their platforms. This practice normalizes gambling for school-aged children.
- Gambling streams: Sponsored live streams showcase online gambling, using flashy jackpots and instant cash-outs to cultivate excitement and encourage participation. These streams are usually hosted on popular platforms like Twitch and Kick, which can blur the line between entertainment and promotion, often downplaying the serious mental health risks for young viewers.
These strategic digital campaigns are examples of deliberate attempts to cultivate a younger customer base, often disregarding that some of the viewers may be underage.
How to join the underage online gambling lawsuit
If you or your child participated in underage online gambling and developed a gambling addiction, you may be eligible to pursue legal action. In addition to seeking compensation for mental, physical and financial harm, this lawsuit will attempt to hold large companies accountable for failing to safeguard children, including companies like:
- Stake.com
- Twitch
- Kick
- Coinbase
Take the first step by filling out the form found on this page. A legal representative will review your information and let you know if you qualify for an underage online gambling lawsuit.
Legal help for video game addiction
Similar to underage gambling, young people are highly susceptible to video game addiction, which can lead to severe mental health, academic and social impacts. If you believe your child is showing signs of compulsive gaming, it is essential to understand your legal rights.
You can learn more about ongoing legal investigations and how to take action by visiting our video game addiction lawsuit investigation.
Fill out the form on this page to see if you qualify for a free case evaluation.
See If You Qualify
Join an underage gambling class action lawsuit investigation
Filling out this form is quick and easy. It only takes a few minutes to see if you qualify.
After you fill out the form, an attorney(s) or their agent(s) may contact you to discuss your legal rights.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements.
PAID ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT: THIS WEB PAGE IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND THE PARTICIPATING ATTORNEY(S) ARE INCLUDED BECAUSE THEY PAY AN ADVERTISING FEE. Top Class Actions is not a law firm, lawyer referral service, or prepaid legal services plan. We do not endorse or recommend any third-party claims processing company, lawyer, or law firm who participates in the network. We do not make any representation, and have not made any judgment, as to the qualifications, expertise, or credentials of any participating lawyer or processing group. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services or claims processing to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services or claims processing performed by other lawyers or claims processing group. The information contained herein is not legal advice. Any information you submit to Top Class Actions does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be protected by attorney-client privilege because Top Class Actions is not a law firm. Instead, your information will be forwarded to an attorney(s) or their agent(s) or a claims processing firm for the purpose of a confidential review and potential representation if you qualify. You will only be contacted by an attorney(s) or their agent(s) in response to your inquiry if your initial information appears to qualify you for representation. If you are not contacted by an attorney(s) or their agent(s) within one week, you should consult another firm since all legal claims are subject to filing deadlines. All photos on this website are stock art and do not depict clients.
