Betting Expansion Fuels Rise in Gambling Addiction Searches

A new study focused on the impact of legal sports betting across the United States, focusing on how the expansion of wagering affected online searches for gambling addiction. The new study, released Tuesday, uncovered intricate details regarding the impact of legal wagering, warning that a notable increase in the searches for gambling addiction has been observed since the repeal of PASPA in 2018 which marked the beginning of the expansion of legal wagering.

Expansion of Betting Results in More than $100M in Wagers

The prestigious journal, JAMA Internal Medicine, uncovered details regarding the study, “Growing Health Concern Regarding Gambling Addiction in the Age of Sportsbooks,” authored by researchers with the University of San Diego, California and Bryn Mawr College. After the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA in 2018, lawmakers across the country were permitted to legalize sports betting, an activity that used to be restricted to Nevada only.

The newly released research explored the financial impact of that expansion, uncovering that sports wagers increased from $4.9 billion in 2017 to the mind-blowing sum of $121.1 billion five years later, in 2023. The researchers acknowledged the unquestionable expansion and growth in popularity of betting which was previously available in a single state and is now accessible to millions of Americans in 38 states along with DC.

As Sports Betting Expands, More People Search for Help Online

As noted, the new research focused on the number of searches online for gambling addiction help. Concerningly, per the study, there were 23% more searches nationally after the repeal of PASPA paved the way for the expansion of legal betting.

Researchers also found that several states, such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts “each had more searches than expected after the opening of any sportsbooks in their state.” Moreover, the experts noted: “Additional analyses suggest the opening of online, vs retail, sportsbooks corresponded with a larger increase in searches.”

“The results of this time series study suggest that access to sportsbooks, sports wagers, and potential help-seeking for gambling addiction increased substantially and highlight the need to address the health implications of sportsbooks, including recognition and treatment of gambling problems and their broader societal implications,“

reads the Growing Health Concern Regarding Gambling Addiction in the Age of Sportsbooks study

In light of the results, the researchers concluded that the expansion of betting is connected to an increase in the number of searches for gambling help. Ultimately, this reaffirms the need for effective gambling treatment, education and awareness.

The results of the study which was only recently released do not come as a surprise, considering that across the country, a notable increase in the number of calls for problem gambling is observed. Despite such concerns, sports betting legislation is gaining momentum in several states, including Oklahoma.