Understanding Online Sports Gambling Among Young Adults: The Role of Social, Emotional, and Structural Factors

Background and Purpose: The rapid growth of online sports gambling has transformed sports betting into an increasingly accessible and normalized activity. Online sports betting is integrated into everyday life through mobile technologies, social media, and sports culture, creating new opportunities for engagement and potential risk. Although existing research has examined gambling prevalence and problem gambling, less is known about how young adults experience online sports betting. This study explores how young adults in Canada understand and experience online sports gambling, with attention to the social, emotional, and structural factors that influence betting behaviors.

Methods: A total of 25 young adults completed semi-structured Zoom interviews between January and February 2026. Participants were recruited through social media and word of mouth. Eligibility criteria included being 18 to 29, residing in Canada, and having engaged in online sports betting within the past six months. Interviews lasted between 25 and 60 minutes, were audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. The sample was primarily aged 25 to 29 (64%), men (72%), and Black (76%), with participants across five provinces. Interviews explored motivations for sports betting, gambling practices, platform use, influences, perceptions of risk, and impacts of gambling. Data were analyzed thematically, with analysis occurring concurrently with data collection to identify emergent themes and to refine the interview guide.

Findings: Four interrelated themes were identified. First, participants described platform environments that facilitate continuous engagement. Accessibility, easy-to-use interfaces, live betting, cash-out options, suggested bets, promotional offers, and casino integration reduced barriers and encouraged participation. Promotional incentives, including free bets, odds boosts, and “risk-free” bets, were often perceived as enhancing value while reducing the sense of financial risk. Second, participants framed sports betting as an emotional experience. Betting was associated with excitement, anticipation, and reward, but also anxiety, frustration, and disappointment. Participants described using betting to cope with stress, boredom, or difficult emotions, while also recognizing that emotional states could shape betting decisions and risk-taking. Third, participants described sports betting as a socially and culturally embedded activity. Entry into gambling was often shaped by friends, family, social media, and advertising. For many, betting was an extension of sports viewing and fan identity rather than a separate activity. Fourth, participants framed sports betting as a skill-based and strategic activity. Many emphasized research, analysis, sports knowledge, and informed decision-making, which contributed to a perceived sense of control over betting outcomes despite awareness of chance and financial risk. Across themes, participants described both positive outcomes, such as enjoyment, social connection, and perceived skill development, and negative consequences, including financial strain, emotional distress, and relational tensions.

Conclusion and Implications: Online sports gambling among young adults is shaped not only by individual choice but also by platform design, emotional needs, social environments, and cultural meanings attached to sports and skill. These findings suggest that harms associated with online sports betting must be understood within broader social, digital, and commercial context. Social work responses should extend beyond individual behavior change to include education, and advocacy addressing the design, promotion, and normalization of harmful online gambling environments.