Sports Gambling Addiction Lawyers Reviewing Lawsuits for Young Adults Facing Gambling Debt and Addiction

Predatory Designs of Sports Betting Apps

Sports betting apps are designed not just to facilitate wagers, but to encourage compulsive, high-frequency betting through features rooted in behavioral psychology. In-game betting allows users to place rapid-fire wagers during live events, often in emotionally charged moments, while “risk-free” promotions lure users in with misleading offers that require real money and rarely deliver safety. These tactics are especially harmful to young users, who often fund bets with student loans or credit cards and have limited financial awareness.

Adding to the risk, many betting platforms have formed direct partnerships with colleges and universities—placing ads in student email inboxes, sponsoring campus events, and even signing revenue-sharing deals. These affiliations normalize gambling on campus and give sportsbooks unprecedented access to one of the most vulnerable populations: financially inexperienced students.

Common Predatory Features of Sports Betting Apps Include:

• In-Game “Flash Bets”: Real-time prompts to wager on the next play or outcome, encouraging fast, emotional decision-making.
• Gamified Reward Systems: Points, badges, and VIP levels that reinforce continued betting through dopamine-driven achievements.
• Push Notifications & Time-Limited Bonuses: Frequent alerts pressuring users to log back in and place another wager before an offer expires.
• Opaque Financial Displays: Using credits or tokens instead of dollars to disguise real losses and reduce user awareness of spending.
• Sticky Promotions: Offers like “Bet $5, Get $200” that require ongoing wagers to unlock the full bonus, encouraging continued play.
• University Co-Branding: Campus promotions and official sponsorships from colleges that normalize gambling in student environments.

These predatory designs are not accidental, they are deliberate strategies used to encourage excessive betting, target vulnerable users, and maximize profits at the expense of public health.

Lobby Efforts to Reduce Gambling Addiction Protections

A recently released Campaign for Accountability (CfA) report (PDF) revealed how major gambling companies have spent years undermining basic consumer protections, all while promoting “responsible gambling” in name only. These coordinated efforts have enabled sportsbooks to operate with little oversight, particularly when it comes to protecting young, at-risk users.

Key industry lobbying tactics include:

• Blocking Restrictions on “Risk-Free” Promotions: In Arizona, DraftKings successfully lobbied against proposed rules that would have banned using the word “free” in ads requiring users to make deposits—preserving their ability to market misleading promotions.
• Fighting Limits on In-Game Betting: In Minnesota, the industry killed a bill that would have banned in-game wagering, despite evidence this feature is among the most addictive, allowing rapid bets during emotional game moments.
• Resisting Mandatory “Cooling-Off” Prompts: In Virginia, proposed regulations requiring apps to encourage periodic breaks for users were dropped after lobbying from Caesars and DraftKings, leaving compulsive betting cycles unchecked.
• Opposing Bonus Limits: In Vermont, sportsbooks pushed back against efforts to cap promotional bonus amounts. Although regulators ultimately adopted some restrictions, the resistance shows how far the industry will go to protect high-pressure incentives.
• Fighting College Advertising Restrictions: In New York and Maryland, companies opposed new rules to limit sports betting ads on campuses and enforce responsibility for affiliate marketers, arguing it would hurt their competitive edge.

Each of these actions reflects a larger playbook: delay reform, weaken safeguards, and preserve access to high-risk, high-revenue users, including students.

Sports Gambling Debt Accumulation

For many college students and young adults, sports betting starts as entertainment with a few dollars on a game, or a “no sweat” offer that sounds like a good deal. But with promotions built to draw them in and app features that blur the line between play and payment, it doesn’t take long for casual bets to spiral into overwhelming debt.

Young users often fund bets with student loan disbursements, credit cards, or family transfers, rarely realizing how quickly the losses can pile up. Many betting platforms accept deposits in seconds but offer no friction when a user hits deposit number five or six in a single night. With flashy interfaces, hidden spending summaries, and endless incentives to “just try one more,” debt accumulates fast.

And once losses begin, chasing them becomes part of the addiction cycle. A student who loses $100 on Saturday might try to win it back Sunday—only to end the weekend down $500. Within a few weeks, that number can climb into the thousands, often before friends or family even notice a problem.

Who are Sports Gambling Addiction Lawsuits Being Filed Against?

Our lawyers are reviewing potential lawsuits against some of the largest sports betting companies, including:

• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• Caesars Sportsbook
• BetMGM
• ESPN Bet
• Fanatics
• Bet365
• Other sportsbook companies

Lawsuits are being filed against these platforms for failing to implement meaningful safeguards and using promotions that mask the real risks of gambling. Many lawsuits also allege that companies profited from users who gambled with credit cards, student loans, or financial aid, often without any warnings or spending limits in place.

How Our Sports Betting Lawyers Can Help

At Saiontz & Kirk, P.A., our legal team is now investigating claims for individuals and families affected by sports gambling addiction and financial harm caused by deceptive sportsbook platforms. Our lawyers are focused on holding these companies accountable for designing products that exploit users, particularly those least able to protect themselves.

When you contact our team, we will:

• Review your gambling and financial history to assess your claim
• Investigate which platforms were involved and whether deceptive promotions or university sponsorships played a role
• Coordinate with addiction experts and financial analysts to build strong evidence of harm
• Evaluate academic, emotional, and economic impacts of the gambling losses
• Pursue compensation for gambling debt, emotional distress, treatment costs, and other damages

We offer free, no-obligation consultations and only get paid if we win. If you or someone you love was harmed by a gambling platform, you do not have to navigate the legal system alone.

Contact Our Sports Betting Addiction Lawyers Today

If you or a loved one has suffered financial or emotional harm due to compulsive gambling on sportsbook apps, our team at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. is here to help. We are currently reviewing claims nationwide and offering free, no-obligation consultations to determine whether you may qualify for compensation.

There are no upfront costs to work with our firm, and we only get paid if we win your case. You won’t owe any legal fees unless we secure a recovery on your behalf.

Speak with a sports betting addiction lawyer today and take the first step toward holding gambling companies accountable.

SPEAK WITH A SPORTS BETTING ADDICTION LAWYER TODAY