March Madness and the Rise of Gen Z Sports Gambling
Betting away the future? Growing integration of sports gambling into daily life.
By Mark S Gold M.D.
Published by Psychology Today on April 3, 2026
Key points
• U.S. sportsbooks projected breaking gambling records, $4 billion bet on 2026 NCAA basketball’s March Madness.
• Gambling is common in adolescent boys, with more than a third of them gambling before 18.
• Greater sports-betting severity is tied to increased depression, anxiety, distress, loneliness, and stress.
Gambling, especially among Gen Z, poses urgent risks extending beyond entertainment. March Madness brings the issue into sharp focus. U.S. legal sports betting handle now exceeds $120–150 billion annually.
