By Dan Pozner, Birches Health Head of Partnerships

On college campuses and in chapter houses across the country, sports betting has quietly woven itself into the daily routines of student life. What was once an occasional wager between friends has become something far more constant and concerning. And during massive, multi-week events like March Madness, the betting opportunities are nearly endless. 

As the head of partnerships at Birches Health, I am proud to have formed partnerships with many of the largest fraternities in the country over the past two years. And as part of those, I’ve been fortunate to speak with hundreds of college students at events across the country. Many have told me the stats around college students gambling that I cited in my presentation may be correct, but that within their specific friend groups or chapter houses, the numbers are much higher. Some even said that they can’t watch a game on TV anymore without having a bet on it. 

That normalization carries particular risks for this cohort. Neurologically, they are still developing the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for impulse control, decision-making and risk assessment. That developmental stage can make college students especially vulnerable to behaviors that combine excitement, competition and the potential for financial reward.

Add to that the structural features of modern sports betting platforms: constant alerts, promotion notifications, live betting options and the ability to place wagers instantly from a phone. What once required a trip to a casino or a call to a bookie can now happen in seconds from a dorm room or even during class.

For most college students who bet, the activity remains casual entertainment. But for some, the line between recreation and compulsion blurs quickly. Some studies have shown that college students carry three times the risk of developing a gambling addiction, compared with the general population. 

A recent NCAA study asked college students if they’d know where to turn for help if they or someone they knew had a gambling problem. Only 10% said yes. 

Unlike alcohol abuse and drug addiction, problem gambling has been rarely discussed in campus wellness programs or freshman initiation educational sessions. Many students simply don’t realize that gambling disorder is a real, diagnosable behavioral addiction with established treatment options.

This gap between increasing prevalence and low awareness is part of what led Birches Health to develop partnerships with fraternities across the country. Birches is not just a treatment provider; we offer educational materials, custom content and communications, and live training sessions – all at no cost to our partners. And the goal is not just to treat the problems when they arise, but to reduce the likelihood of them developing in the first place. 

If treatment is ever needed, Birches has hundreds of specially trained licensed therapists across the country who understand the unique psychological patterns behind compulsive betting. And because behavioral addictions often overlap, that care can be tailored to address related issues such as pornography addiction, excessive video gaming and compulsive internet use. Treatment is confidential, available in all 50 states and can be covered by insurance. 

March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month, so this is an important time to think about the growing problem of gambling addiction among young men, and if there’s anything else your organization could be doing to combat it. Please feel free to email me directly at dan@bircheshealth.com if you are interested in discussing a free partnership with Birches Health.