Sports Betting Addiction Lawsuit Lawyers

National Legal Representation for Victims of Gambling Addiction Fueled by Online Sportsbooks and College Partnerships

Parker Waichman LLP is Holding Gambling Platforms and Universities Accountable for Sports Betting Addiction

The explosion of mobile sports betting has created a public health crisis, one affecting thousands of young adults who never saw it coming. What once required a trip to a casino can now be done in seconds from a smartphone. Companies like DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM, and others have flooded the market with easy-to-use apps that disguise gambling as entertainment, reward compulsive use, and prey on emotional and financial vulnerability.

What’s worse, many universities formed direct partnerships with these platforms, promoting online betting to students, some under 21, through sponsored emails, apps, and on-campus ads. These campaigns didn’t just encourage casual betting; they embedded gambling into student life, allowing addiction to take hold while oversight and accountability remained absent.

Now, individuals and families are fighting back through lawsuits targeting the companies and institutions responsible for this growing harm. If you or someone you love has suffered from gambling addiction, financial ruin, or emotional distress due to these apps or promotions, you may have a legal case.

How Mobile Sportsbooks Create and Fuel Addiction

Sports betting apps are not neutral platforms—they are meticulously engineered to keep users engaged, spending, and coming back, even when the losses mount. These apps mimic addictive game mechanics and use constant promotions to draw users in, especially those between the ages of 18 and 30.

Some of the most dangerous app features include:

• “Risk-Free” Bets that are not truly risk-free, luring users into higher-stakes bets with fine print they never see.
• Flash and In-Play Betting which urges impulsive wagers while emotions run high during live games.
• Gamification with points, badges, and “streaks” to give a false sense of achievement while losing real money.
• Credit Displays showing funds as “credits” instead of dollars to obscure the reality of financial loss.
• Push Notifications and Personalized Promotions that target users immediately after losing money, offering more bonuses and encouraging continued betting.

These systems are specifically designed to override decision-making and capitalize on addictive behavior. Far from protecting users, betting platforms often identify high-risk individuals and increase their exposure to offers and promotions. The most vulnerable users—those showing signs of distress—are frequently those who receive the most aggressive outreach.

The Role of Universities in Promoting Student Gambling

In a deeply troubling trend, several major U.S. universities entered multi-year, high-dollar promotional deals with sports betting companies, giving them direct access to students.

• Michigan State University partnered with Caesars Sportsbook, placing ads across athletic venues and even creating co-branded seating.
• Louisiana State University (LSU) launched a similar deal, allowing Caesars to promote betting through official apps and student emails.
• University of Colorado Boulder signed with PointsBet and received $30 for every student who registered and placed a bet through a school-linked promo code.

These partnerships gave gambling platforms institutional legitimacy and made it easier than ever to market directly to college students. Some emails were even sent to students under 21, encouraging gambling before they were legally eligible. With limited life experience, growing student debt, and no financial safeguards, students became prime targets for the gambling industry—many incurring massive debt or experiencing emotional breakdowns.

Financial and Emotional Consequences of Sports Betting Addiction

For many young adults, what begins as entertainment turns into crisis. Students and recent graduates report draining bank accounts, maxing out credit cards, and gambling away student loans and rent money. Others have misused financial help from parents or lost entire paychecks before covering basic needs.

Financial loss is only part of the damage. Victims often experience:

• Intense guilt and shame
• Anxiety and depression
• Suicidal thoughts or behavior
• Academic failure or dropout
• Strained family relationships
• Complete loss of financial independence

The apps are always available, the betting never stops, and the mental health impact grows with every loss.

Families across the country have reported losing loved ones to suicide after they were overwhelmed by the psychological toll of gambling promoted by these apps. The design and marketing strategies used by these companies have consequences far beyond financial loss—and now the courts are being asked to hold them accountable.

Who Qualifies for a Sports Betting Addiction Lawsuit?

Lawsuits are being filed on behalf of individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who:

• Used platforms such as DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, ESPN Bet, Bet365, BetMGM, or PointsBet
• Lost at least $10,000 due to gambling
• Developed a compulsive gambling addiction
• Suffered emotional breakdowns, suicidal thoughts, or required mental health treatment
• Lost a loved one to suicide linked to sports betting addiction

These claims include both individual lawsuits and potential class actions. Families of those harmed may also be eligible to file wrongful death or survivor claims. Whether you were a college student, young adult, or concerned family member, your story deserves to be heard.

Lawsuit Allegations: What Betting Companies and Schools Are Accused Of

Sports betting addiction lawsuits are raising serious allegations, including:

• Promoting gambling as “risk-free” when it clearly wasn’t
• Tracking user behavior to identify and target problem gamblers
• Retaining and re-engaging users who had self-excluded or expressed addiction concerns
• Using “VIP” programs to reward addicted users and encourage massive deposits
• Failing to warn users of the addictive design and real risks involved
• Encouraging underage gambling through college partnerships without safeguards

These claims argue that platforms knowingly created, marketed, and profited from addictive tools, and that their failure to intervene makes them liable for the consequences.

Compensation Sought in Sports Betting Addiction Cases

Victims of gambling addiction caused or worsened by these platforms may be entitled to compensation for:

• Gambling-related financial losses (including misused loans or credit cards)
• Costs of therapy and addiction treatment
• Pain, suffering, anxiety, and depression
• Academic or professional consequences (lost tuition, job loss, etc.)
• Wrongful death damages for surviving family members
• Punitive damages where companies knowingly targeted at-risk users

These lawsuits seek to address not only the financial impact of compulsive betting, but also the emotional and psychological harm inflicted by companies that profited from addiction.

Filing a Lawsuit Is Simple and Confidential

If you or someone in your family suffered due to sports betting addiction, legal help is available. There are no upfront costs and no fees unless compensation is recovered.

To start your case, you’ll need:

• The name of the sports betting apps used
• Your age when you started betting
• An approximate estimate of financial losses

During your free case evaluation, your attorney will help collect the necessary records and assess the full scope of your damages. Your information will be handled confidentially, and your case will be treated with care and urgency.

CONTACT PARKER WAICHMAN LLP FOR A FREE CASE REVIEW

If you or someone you love has suffered due to a sports betting addiction fueled by mobile gambling apps or college partnerships, you are not alone—and legal action may be the first step toward justice. At Parker Waichman LLP, we represent victims and families nationwide in lawsuits against the companies and institutions responsible for this harm.

Our team is offering free, confidential case evaluations. You will never pay a fee unless we win your case.

Call 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) today to find out if you qualify. Your case matters. Your story matters. And we are here to help you fight back.