‘The Talk’ Isn’t Just About Sex Anymore—Parents Urged to Address Gambling

Having “the talk” is a key milestone in raising a child. But with the proliferation of gambling opportunities, traditional conversations about puberty and sex may now need to expand to cover the risks and dangers of betting.

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) commissioned The Harris Poll to gauge how parents and caregivers are addressing gambling with their adolescents.

The survey found that only slightly more than half (51%) of parents with kids aged six to 17 have had “the gambling talk.” Of the other half, 40% said they planned to have the conversation, while only 9% said they didn’t plan to address gambling.

Based in Washington, DC, the NCPG is the only national nonprofit dedicated to mitigating gambling-related harm through advocacy and awareness.

Gambling Conversations

The NCPG is calling on parents to talk with their children about gambling, with the national nonprofit believing that gambling presents similar risks to drugs, alcohol, and sex. To assist in the conversation, the NCPG says it’s working to develop tools and educational materials for parents to use.

“We’re hearing from parents who want to better understand the risks and are asking for practical resources to help them have these conversations with their kids,” Longmeier said.

The Harris Poll found that fathers are most concerned about their children gambling, with nearly three in four dads expressing worry. That rate is far higher than mothers at 42%.

Parents said they’d be interested in receiving information about detecting the signs of problem gambling, education about youth gambling risks, and guidance on when and how to start the conversation.

NCPG Support

The NCPG poll comes ahead of the nonprofit’s annual Gift Responsibly Campaign, which encourages adults to refrain from gifting lottery tickets and other gambling products to those too young to play legally.

Last year, more than 230 organizations supported and participated in the campaign, including lotteries, gambling operators, and community partners. Participation was 30% higher than the prior year.

Controversy surrounding the NCPG could hamper support in 2026. The NCPG continues to defend its welcoming of prediction markets through the newly created Financial Services & Trading membership subcategory.

The legal gambling industry has voiced opposition to sports event contracts being traded on prediction markets on claims that the products constitute illegal sports gambling. The Michigan Gaming Control Board, Ohio Casino Control Commission, and Nevada Council on Problem Gambling have rescinded their NCPG memberships on the grounds that they do not want to be associated with companies engaged in illegal gambling.