Most states set the legal betting age at 18 or 21, but more kids are circumventing age requirements on platforms to place their latest bets. And celebrities are no exception.
Ben Affleck’s 13-year-old son recently asked him for sports betting money.
"My son asked me like a month ago, was like, 'Hey, um, can I get like 100 bucks to bet on sports?'" Affleck said on a Jan. 6 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Affleck’s family isn’t alone in having these conversations − gambling experts say it’s happening with families across the country.
As legalized sports betting has grown across the United States, a rising number of underage men have looked to join in through illegal, unregulated methods, with some starting as young as middle school. Driven by the explosion of mobile betting platforms and a lack of age-targeted resources, many initially see betting as a form of entertainment or investing, but can start exhibiting signs of problem gambling before they know it.
