Children & Sports Betting: Ben Affleck, Darren Rovell Face Gambling Questions From Kids
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 13: Ben Affleck attends The RIP World Premiere at Alice Tully Hall on January 13, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Netflix)
Ben Affleck and Darren Rovell recently shared stories and questions they received from their children about sports betting.
Ben Affleck’s Son Interested in Sports Betting
Sports betting has infiltrated pop culture to the point that children are asking to place bets.
During a recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Affleck spoke about his history with gambling, which traces back to the days when his father was a bookie.
“At the time, it was shameful and kind of illegal,” Affleck said on the show. Affleck joked that his father bought his family a washing machine and VCR from the money he made as a bookie.
“My father worked at a bar, but mostly made his money sort of being a small-time bookie,” he said. “I remember our first washing machine, our first VCR, in fact, Dad coming home like, ‘You can thank Steve Grogan for this,’ the quarterback of the Patriots.”
Affleck’s father is not the only one in his family who discusses gambling. Affleck’s 13-year-old son wants in on the action.
“My son asked me like a month ago, was like, ‘Hey, um, can I get like 100 bucks to bet on sports?'” Affleck told Kimmel.
The legal betting age is 18 or 21 in most states. However, that hasn’t stopped kids from asking their parents for money to bet.
According to a study by the National Council on Problem Gambling, between 60% and 80% of high school students have gambled in the past year. 4% to 6% of those students have already shown signs of a serious gambling problem.
Darren Rovell Chooses to Educate Son About Sports Betting
Like Affleck, Rovell was approached by his 11-year-old son with questions about gambling. When asked about wanting to bet, Rovell set him up with a “free-to-play” app to teach him betting.
“I’ve been monitoring his bets and talking to him about his losses,” Rovell said in an X post.
Instead of saying “no,” Rovell is attempting to teach his son about risk mitigation. “He’s going to face it whether I monitor it or not,” Rovell added. “The ads don’t control these kids. Parenting isn’t about saying no here.”
Importance of Gambling Education
Whether you like it or not, gambling is here to stay in the United States. Nearly 40 states have legalized sports betting, and that number is expected to increase in the future.
Unfortunately, gambling addictions are starting at a younger age in today’s society. Educating the youths about loss and risk management might not remove the gambling addiction.
However, advocating for responsible gambling is a tangible action that many parents can do with their children.
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