Young Men Top Group for Sports Betting Addiction, New Poll Finds

The statewide legalization of online sports betting granted millions of Americans access to wagering on a range of sports. With most states offering mobile betting options and the activity being available in nearly 40 US states, concerns about the negative impact of wagering are on the rise.

Across the country, calls to gambling helplines marked an increase, despite the efforts of regulators and operators to provide responsible entertainment. Now a new study analyzed the popularity of different gambling activities, uncovering that betting can lead to problems in some groups, especially young men.

Young Men Are the Biggest Consumers of Sports and 10% Are Seen as Problem Gamblers

Released Thursday, the study was conducted by Braun Research of Princeton in New Jersey for Fairleigh Dickinson University. The agency contacted registered voters across the country via phone, through text messages and web platforms. The same used for the survey included 801 registered voters across the country.

The newly released study uncovered a concerning trend about gambling harm among young men. Approximately one quarter of the men between the age of 18 and 30 participated in online sports betting. Concerningly, within the same age group, 10% of the young men were recognized as problem gamblers. Compared to the nation’s problem gambling rate, which is 3%, the recent result sounds the alarm.

Dan Cassino, a professor of Government and Politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University and executive director of the new poll, revealed that gambling activities are often advertised as a form of entertainment. He agreed that many gamblers engage in the activity responsibly and see it as entertainment.

“Sports betting has been marketed heavily to the young men who are the biggest consumers of sports.“

Dan Cassino, a professor of Government and Politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University

However, Cassino added: “there’s always some chance of gambling turning into problem behaviors, and online gambling is proving to be much more dangerous than other kinds.” He spoke about the extensive betting advertising that targets particularly young men due to their involvement in sports. At the same time, Cassino said that after all major leagues have partnerships with betting operators, “people who like sports are going to start gambling on it.”

Despite the Expansion of Wagering, Lottery and Scratch-Offs Are Most Popular Form of Gambling

According to the research, lottery tickets and scratch-offs proved as the most popular form of gambling among both men and women. Some 46% of men and 40% of women who gambled purchased lottery tickets while 37% of men and 35% of women bought scratch-off tickets.

On the other hand, out of all gambling activities, only 10% of the voters admitted to placing online sports wagers. However, the percentage of men was significantly greater or 15% when compared to only 6% of women.

Interestingly, the voters who had a college degree were less likely to engage in any gambling activities. “People with a college degree are much less likely to gamble at all: only 47 percent of registered voters with a college degree have gambled in any way in the past year, compared with 66 percent of those without a four-year degree,” explained the newly released study.