A recent study shows that online searches for help with gambling addiction have increased significantly as more states legalize sports betting. The research, published on Monday, calls for more public health awareness to address the rising issue.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, and Bryn Mawr College, who conducted the study, stated that the growth in sports betting poses a serious health concern. The findings suggest that a new approach is needed to improve collaboration between regulators and health organizations to better address the risks of gambling.
The study comes as sports betting has rapidly become a multibillion-dollar industry. This shift followed a 2018 Supreme Court decision that ended Nevada’s monopoly, allowing states to launch their own legal betting markets. According to the American Gaming Association, Americans were projected to wager $1.4 billion on the 2025 Super Bowl, up from $1.25 billion in 2024.
Currently, 38 states and Washington, D.C. have legalized some form of sports betting, whether in-person or online. As a result, these states are generating millions in tax revenue each year.
The study found that while searches for gambling addiction help dropped or stayed stable in 2020, when the pandemic halted sports events, they have steadily increased each year since 2021. By that year, 32 states had legalized sports betting.
Researchers examined Google search data, focusing on terms like “gambling addiction hotline” and “am I a gambling addict.” They found a 23% overall increase in searches related to gambling addiction since the Supreme Court’s ruling.
In total, between 2018 and 2024, Americans conducted roughly 6.5 to 7.3 million searches for gambling addiction help, with a significant peak in June 2023, which saw 180,000 searches.
The study also highlighted eight states—Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia—where gambling addiction searches exceeded national expectations. Researchers found that the increase in these states was highly unlikely to be coincidental.
Search activity peaked in 2024 for these states, which suggests that concerns about gambling addiction continue to grow as more sportsbooks open across the country.
Matthew Allen, co-author of the study, noted that the surge in gambling ads on television and social media, along with major casino operators promoting sports betting, has normalized the activity. This cultural shift has turned what was once a taboo topic into a widely accepted practice, contributing to the rise in gambling-related issues.
The researchers argue that public health officials need to take proactive measures to address gambling addiction, which could be exacerbated by the rapid spread of legalized sports betting. “Immediate actions are necessary to prevent long-term harm and negative health impacts,” they said.
This month, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) reintroduced a bill aimed at providing federal funding for gambling addiction treatment, prevention, and research. The legislation, supported by the National Council on Problem Gambling, would allocate 50% of federal sports excise tax revenue for these efforts.
Blumenthal emphasized the growing public health crisis caused by the widespread legalization of sports betting, especially given the convenience of placing bets via smartphones. He stated, “With this legislation, we aim to stop addiction and save lives.”
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