By Brianna Wallen
News Editor
With sports betting apps now only a tap away, conversations about gambling are becoming more common among college students.
Karreem Mebane, an assistant professor in recreation, tourism and sport management who teaches sport ethics, said the growing normalization of sports wagering is creating serious concerns about student safety and well-being.
“All of our students have access to this option and to the app, but there aren’t necessarily any controls that will provide protections and safety for our students,” Mebane said.
Mebane said that the lack of safeguards leaves many students vulnerable once they begin placing bets.
“Who is going to protect the 18 to 24 year old when they start betting, and they’re losing thousands and tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Mebane said.
In his sport ethics class, SMT 355, Mebane said most students already know about sports betting. Those who are of legal age often speak openly about their experiences, including both wins and losses.
These classroom discussions reveal how casual betting has become among young adults and how it is often viewed as part of sports culture. Mebane said accessibility is the main reason for that shift.
“Sport betting has become normalized because it’s always been around,” Mebane said. “The question is, who has access to it? And now, because everyone has those devices in their hands, everyone has access to it, regardless if they’re 21 or older or 21 and younger.”
Mebane emphasized that with gambling no longer requiring a trip to a casino, young people are able to place a bet with the tap of their fingers.
“We have two big casinos that were built here in Connecticut when I was in college. Now all these years later, casinos are a thing of the past, but the sports betting apps are the new thing,” Mebane said.
Whether it is commercials from DraftKings or FanDuel, these advertisements appear during games, on streaming platforms and on screens across campus, normalizing betting .
“You go to a restaurant; you watch something on YouTube; you see something on a screen, whether it’s a portable screen or it’s on a big flat screen TV: at some point our students are going to see something from one of those companies that provides an opportunity for them to place a bet on a sport,” Mebane said.
As sports wagering grows in popularity among young adults, the discussion emphasizes both the social aspect and the potential risks for campus communities.
Recent events in the media that are connected to the university have also intensified concerns.
According to CT Insider, a 24-year-old man from Wolcott and former basketball player from the university has been charged in a federal case involving a cryptocurrency fraud scheme worth nearly $1 million.
Investigators said money from investors was used for online gambling instead of legitimate investments. Court documents reveal that Elim Redzepagic was involved with the scheme while attending the university.
Redzepagic has pleaded not guilty and was recently released on bond with a requirement to receive treatment for gambling addiction.
Mebane said cases like this highlight how gambling can intersect with sports culture and financial decisions among young adults.
“I’m very concerned because that is another basketball player that has gotten involved in some type of scheme,” Mebane said. “It’s been reported about his crypto investments, but also, there’s a gambling issue there.”
Mebane’s advice to students who partake in sports betting is simple.
“My advice to them is to stop. There’s much better ways to earn money and the thrill and satisfaction that they are seeking and want to have by placing a bet that is very temporary,” Mebane said.
With March representing National Problem Gambling Awareness Month, Mebane hopes the university doubles down on discussions about responsibility, long-term consequences that come with sports betting as well as making support services more visible.
“More articles should be on the front page of the website providing counseling and addiction services options because we have a lot of students who don’t even realize that they need some type of outside counsel because they have an addiction that is being fed due to the device that they hold in their hand,” Mebane said.
By increasing education, visibility and support services, Mebane said these factors can help prevent students from jeopardizing their future when a casual bet turns into a serious risk.
“This university’s No. 1 priority is to make sure that our students are safe,” Mebane said. “And if we can’t provide them safety from these apps that are destroying their mental well-being, then we need to have a very serious conversation on this campus.”
