U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) visited Sacred Heart University to discuss the impact of sports betting on young adults and college students.
Blumenthal met with students and professors to discuss sports betting apps and how they are marketed to young people. The panel discussed the results of a poll conducted by the university in partnership with GreatBlue Research on perceptions of sports gambling.
The digital poll was conducted in November 2025 and surveyed 500 active sports gamblers nationwide. It assessed overall public perceptions of sports gambling and noted reactions to recent gambling scandals. Blumenthal said the results of the poll highlight the need for reform in the industry, which he said is essential in order to protect people from “deceptive and misleading practices” of companies.
“When people become addicted and they spend most of their waking hours or a good part of them focused on gambling, they become a lot less productive. When they lose part of their family, it undermines our society. Like any other addiction, it has a societal cost," Blumenthal said.
According to the poll, around 63% are concerned that college athletes may be pressured by gambling activity, and 51.2% believe college students face a higher risk for problematic gambling behavior. They also expressed concern that gambling advertising during major events could be negatively impacting young viewers. Blumenthal has introduced legislation that would apply stricter regulations to prediction markets and limit advertising during games.
“I want to make sure they are told the truth about what the odds are on those longshot bets. That they know, they’re being targeted,” Blumenthal said “That they know they are, they’re product, they’re not the consumer. When you gamble, you are the product.”
