Gen Z is gambling earlier, more often, and with fewer guardrails than previous generations. A recent report found that nearly half of boys have gambled by age 17, and a third as young as 11 to 13 of age reported gambling in some way. What’s changed for this younger generation is access. Kids today have smartphones and betting is as easy as opening an app. Constant advertising has mainstreamed gambling, making it feel normal. For many young people today, gambling is less a vice than a shared activity with friends and social pressure focussing on entertainment fails to warn of gambling’s dark side. This means safeguards should be set up for a generation growing up with gambling at their fingertips.