The Stories

You're Not the Only One

Most families miss it at first because it blends in. If you're seeing any of this, you're not alone.

We didn’t see it coming.

I honestly never thought I’d have to think about this with my 7-year-old.

Parent of a 7-year-old

1 of 10

The spending didn’t look like a problem.

It didn’t show up as one big charge. It was a steady drip.

Parent of a 15-year-old

1 of 6

The money controls were there. The workarounds were too.

We had controls on our cards — but the money wasn’t coming from our cards.

Parent of a 17-year-old

1 of 6

Wins were public. Losses were private.

Everyone posted wins. Nobody talked about losing.

College student, 19

1 of 6

It didn’t feel like gambling.

I didn’t think of it as gambling. It was just opening packs.

Teen, 14

1 of 6

Share your story

Your experience can help other families. Submissions are anonymous by default.

All stories are reviewed before publishing. Names and identifying details are always removed.

If something here feels familiar and you want help now, visit our Resources page.