‘Why does it feel like everyone gambles now?’: Gen Z debates the rise of Esports betting and crypto

Odds are, you or someone you know has picked up esports betting or small investments in cryptocurrency in the last few years. One Redditor—u/ahsenepiliam—has sparked discussion in the r/Genz subreddit about a rise in the habit they have observed among their friends.

“Why does it feel like everyone is just gambling and winning free money?” the Redditor posted on Feb. 12, 2025. “Every time I open TikTok, there’s some dude hitting a jackpot on Stake or pulling crazy sports bets. People on Twitter posting their insane parlays like it’s nothing. Even in group chats, someone’s always flexing their casino winnings like they just walked in and got handed cash.

“Is everyone actually winning, or are we just seeing the lucky ones who post? Feels like one of those things where survivorship bias is crazy, but at the same time, I know people who have actually hit big.”

“Also, how do people even afford to gamble like this? Are they just throwing in $10 and getting lucky, or is everyone secretly down bad and just not talking about it? I feel like I’m missing some secret formula here. If you actually win consistently, what’s the move? Or is this all just one big scam dressed up as ‘easy money’?”

The post drew 278 upvotes—no downvotes—and 122 responses on Reddit, where fellow posters were quick to share their insights into why betting has gotten so popular with the generation that has just grown into gambling age in the last few years.

For the most part, folks are pretty sure it’s the hefty visibility of winners online who convince fans and viewers to follow in their footsteps.

“People don’t post when they lose. It’s survivorship bias and marketing,” u/living_david_aloca replied. “Don’t fall for things that are too good to be true. If someone’s actually making easy money they’re not going to tell you about it.”

“They want you to sign up using their affiliate link so they make money,” u/facepalm_the_world wrote in response to OP. “It’s addictive and legal. They show you themselves winning (using house money, or just faking it) so you get FOMO and sign up and deposit money.”

“People will never post their losses, it’s common they only post their wins,” u/FastPeak wrote. “Also it’s highly possible that they lose more money than they win.”

A symptom of a greater issue

Sure, seeing someone else win a boatload of money can be enticing, but some Redditors suggest there might be a whole other side to the issue that might be a bit deeper than simply looking to make a quick cash grab.

One source of interest in sports betting and taking similar risks on cryptocurrency, u/Bobblehead356 writes, could be the dopamine hits from placing bets.

“When people whine about men’s issues on reddit they always leave out the massive rise in online sports betting, which is what I actually think is the biggest issue young men face right now,” u/Bobblehead356 wrote.

“There was a study that came out that found that only 5% of the people that sports bet actually withdraw a positive amount of money. From a young age guys are condition to receive dopamine hits from throwing away money on shady online websites. Sports betting companies have already infiltrated the Republican Party as they got Texas to overturn its century-old anti gambling laws. Even my blue state has loosened its gambling restrictions significantly.”

u/Soonly_Taing suggests that it might be a combination of the two issues, with men looking for mentorship online and means to improve themselves.

“My conspiracy theory?” u/Soonly_Taing wrote. “I believe it’s big gambling marketing targeting those red-pilled guys. Because they are always after get-rich-quick schemes, it’s their ideal audiences. All they need to do is to convince them that success is around the corner and boom, instant lick.”

Is Gen-Z really seeing an uptick in gambling?

The tech-savvy and socially conscious newly-adult Generation Z has already made its mark on the gambling world. Per Prescott House, a facility providing addiction recovery care for men, Gen-Z gambling looks starkly different than the behaviors of past generations, mostly due to the emergence of e-sports.

E-sports gambling offers a different kind of experience, appealing to competitive bettors who are ready to build and employ knowledge of the game through strategic analysis. In turn, this set of skills becomes something that peers online are interested in watching for entertainment value.

Similarly, new cryptocurrencies also present a better store of value to Gen-Zers, who have watched as inflation lowered the buying power of their traditionally earned dollars. If they can spend a little money on an initial investment, their return on investment can yield a decent sum—if it pans out.

Hidden costs

Continuing the line of thought that people who gamble and appear to be successful online are only showing a piece of what it looks like to risk losing large amounts of money, some Redditors are convinced that they are not spending their own money at all.

“Many people who claim to be good at gambling or crypto trading or stock and options trading have lost significant amounts of money doing so,” u/internetforumuser wrote. “Most of these people were given money because it’s harder to put down hard earned money. My main piece of advice is don’t ever bet what you can’t afford to lose.”

“Casinos (gambling apps in particular) give cash to influencers to promote their services, showing off how you can win big,” u/Spaghettisnakes wrote. “I promise you that if most people walked away with money from these gambling apps they would quickly stop existing; these apps need to make money to sustain themselves and they do that from people losing.”

“A lot of restrictions on sports betting have been lifted over the last few years, and betting companies are investing heavily in marketing and influencers,” u/TormentedByGnomes wrote. “You’re seeing it everywhere by design.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to u/ahsenepiliam via Reddit chat regarding the post.

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