SUFFOLK COUNTY (WABC) — A youth gambling addiction crisis in our area and across the county has many experts sounding the alarm.
With online gambling surging in popularity, many teenagers are placing bets, some of them racking up tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt before they are legally allowed to gamble.
Ben, who is now 21 and in recovery, was once a compulsive gambler and is sharing his story as a warning to parents.
It started when he was in 11th grade.
“My mind was so irrational in those moments that it truly wasn’t me,” Ben said.
He was a high-performing student who always earned money working through high school and into college. But he also kept a frightening secret for years.
“It was truly from the age of 16. All of…