States that opened the door to legal sports betting have seen a sharp rise in one unwelcome side effect: diagnosed gambling disorders. According to Epic Research, a review of electronic health records for nearly 200 million US adults found such diagnoses climbed more than 60% in states that legalized sports betting since 2018, from 3.0 to 4.8 cases per 100,000 people, reports NBC News. The steepest jump was among men ages 18 to 29, though adults 30 to 49 claimed the highest overall rate. In the 11 states that kept sports betting illegal, diagnoses fell about 30% over the same period.
Researchers say coding changes, telehealth growth, and awareness among clinicians may be playing a role in the diagnosis uptick. The pattern aligns with other studies showing that more people seek help in states that allow betting. Experts say expanded access to online sportsbooks and prediction markets are helping to drive harm, particularly for younger users. "You increase access, you increase problems," says Rutgers social work professor Mark van der Maas.
The industry group American Gaming Association counters that more diagnoses reflect better screening, not necessarily more addiction, and cites $500 million a year that the industry throws at responsible-gambling efforts. Clinicians say most people with gambling disorders still never show up in medical settings, meaning the true scope is likely far larger. In Colorado, sports betting is even being labeled the state's "next big public-health crisis," per the Denver Post. Worried about your own gambling habits? See if they could be a problem here.
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