He got hooked on betting at age 11. By college he gambled 15 hours a day.
He got hooked on betting at age 11. By college he gambled 15 hours a day.
HUNTING VALLEY, Ohio — Saul Malek has become a symbol of caution for young people. Once, he might have been labeled a drug addict or a reckless driver. Now, at 28, he stands before students as a living example of the modern vice gripping America’s youth: digital gambling. Last month, Malek addressed a group of teenagers at University School, a private institution in Cleveland, urging them to recognize the risks of technology-driven betting. “So who are my sports fans in the room?” he asked, prompting immediate responses from the audience.
“You don’t even realize that what you’re doing is harming you as it’s happening,” he told the boys, a warning he would later extend to seventh and eighth graders.
The students, like peers nationwide, are deeply entangled with apps that let them wager on everything from game plays to political events. Their parents, too, are increasingly aware of this trend. “The three big things are drugs, alcohol and gambling, that parents might freak out about,” said Henry Brown, a senior at the school. “And I’d say gambling is probably the most common.”
Malek’s own journey began with a $10 bet on a baseball game during his teenage years. What started as a casual risk soon spiraled into a destructive routine, leaving him $25,000 in debt and grappling with thoughts of suicide by age 21. “It felt like a high, an extreme rush,” said Kurt Freudenberg, 23, who began gambling at 11 by trading game items for digital currency. Within weeks, he was wagering thousands daily on online games like blackjack and roulette.
“I would play soccer and score a goal or get an A on a test — nothing compared to that high on gambling,” Freudenberg recalled, describing how his habit expanded to sports betting on NBA and NFL games, as well as cryptocurrency-only offshore casinos.
Freudenberg’s parents only noticed the severity of his addiction after he entered college, where he spent 15 hours a day gambling in his dorm. “We thought he was gonna say it was drugs,” said his mother, Kim Freudenberg. “But he said, ‘I’m gambling.’”
Meanwhile, Malek’s story highlights a growing pattern. While national data on teen gambling is sparse, smaller studies reveal its prevalence. A Common Sense Media survey found that one-third of boys aged 11 to 17 gambled in the past year, including sports betting, lotteries, and poker with friends. In Massachusetts, 10% of young bettors experienced problematic gambling that interfered with their education or family life.
Providers at gambling addiction clinics note a shift in demographics. “When I started, most of the clients in the treatment program were probably in their 40s, 50s, 60s. Lottery, casino players, that sort of thing,” said Elizabeth Thielen, senior director at Nicasa Behavi. “Now, it’s just gotten really young.”
As the crisis evolves, educators and parents are scrambling to address the issue. At University School, debates over basketball prospects often devolve into discussions about betting strategies, with students relying on their phones to track spreads and odds. For many, the habit is no longer optional — it’s an inseparable part of daily life.