PODCAST:
April 28, 2026 ~ Marie Osborne talks with Dr. Erin Bonar, licensed clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Michigan, about the rising numbers of young men who are developing gambling addictions.
DETROIT, MICH. ~ The NCAA is investigating Texas Tech transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby after the school found thousands of online bets he made on a betting app, which violates the organization’s rules. The school announced Monday that Sorsby will join a residential treatment program to address the issue, leaving his future with the team in limbo.
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, 22% of Americans, including 48% of men ages 18 to 49, have an account with at least one online sports book.
“Not everyone who engages in a behavior is necessarily going to have problems with it. But we do know that young men are just more at risk as they are using these technologies,” Dr. Bonar said on ‘JR Afternoon. “This is happening primarily in younger ages, that 18 to 30 age range, where the brain is still fully forming. And these platforms that they are accessing are really built to be very, very reinforcing and give you a sort of dopamine hit, that addictive-like reward.”
