WCVB reported that Massachusetts has rolled out a school-based sports-betting prevention curriculum to 15 high schools and seven middle schools. The program is designed to address problem gambling among young people.
WBUR reported that the rollout was timed in part to the World Cup, which experts say is on pace to be the biggest gambling event ever. The Australian investment firm Macquarie has estimated worldwide wagers could top $50 billion, and Dr. Timothy Fong said parents should use the tournament to talk with children about gambling risks.
The curriculum uses four sessions to teach warning signs of problem gambling, common misconceptions about sports betting and financial literacy skills. According to the Attorney General’s Office, it was developed through the Youth Sports Betting Safety Coalition, formed in 2024 with the Gaming Commission, the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, Civic Action Project, the NCAA and the Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Revolution.
The program is aimed at students ages 12 to 20, in a state where it is illegal for anyone under 21 to wager on sports. Commonwealth Beacon said a survey of 11- to 17-year-old boys found around a third had gambled in the last year, while six in 10 adolescent boys saw gambling ads on YouTube and social media.
The curriculum was first introduced to about 445 students at five high schools and three community organizations in spring 2025. Surveys after that phase found that 70% of participating students could identify warning signs of problem gambling, 64% planned to wait until the legal age to gamble and 78% would recommend the program to a peer.
Commonwealth Beacon said evaluations led organizers to refine and expand the pilot, and that it is now in its second year. The council is also considering a digital version for 19- and 20-year-olds and recruiting athletes to tell their stories.
