DraftKings CEO Jason Robins Urges Parents to Talk With Kids About Gambling Addiction
DraftKings CEO Jason Robins said parents should discuss gambling addiction with their children, noting that he has tackled the subject with his own kids, according to CNBC. Speaking in an interview with CNBC’s Contessa Brewer, Robins stated that every parent should have these conversations regardless of whether their business or home environment exposes children to the industry daily. Robins pointed out that his own children grew up surrounded by the gambling business, making terms like point spreads and money lines familiar to them. Robins explained DraftKings to his children when they were small, establishing that they must wait until they turn 21 years old to participate.
Comparing these discussions to questions children might ask when seeing a parent drink wine, Robins said parents should be transparent so kids feel comfortable asking anything. Between 2018 and 2026, CNBC reported that gambling disorder diagnoses rose roughly 61% in states where sports betting is legal, while falling about 30% in states without it, based on a review of patient health records. The analysis identified the steepest rates of gambling disorder among young men between the ages of 18 and 29.
Data and Industry Response to Problematic Betting
CNBC highlighted figures from the National Council on Problem Gambling indicating that approximately 20 million Americans—representing 8% of the adult population—faced at least one indicator of hazardous betting behavior “many times” over the preceding year. Robins addressed these figures by stating that even though the percentage is small, the large volume of people using these products means the affected group is meaningful, which is why the company has invested in safeguards.
DraftKings CEO Jason Robins says parents should talk with kids about gambling addiction https://t.co/1fHntSSRC1
DraftKings provides Responsible Gaming tools such as account limits and self-exclusion, a feature that lets customers bar themselves from using its platforms. Robins noted that the company also restricts certain accounts based on observed customer conduct. He argued that self-exclusion can achieve a wider reach in states where regulated operators share exclusion lists.
The Responsible Online Gaming Association, an industry body that includes major online gaming companies, is developing a nationwide self-exclusion list, according to Robins. He stated that data-privacy rules and regulatory hurdles slow the work, but expressed belief that the group is making headway. Regarding mandatory patron betting thresholds, Robins mentioned he would remain open to such a mandate, though he characterized the topic as a complex regulatory dilemma and shared his hope that setting boundaries becomes as routine as putting on a seat belt.
