Gambling has been in the news a lot lately. A recent study shows nearly half of men ages 18 to 49 have an account with one of the online sports gambling sites.
Gambling is common among adolescents, too, with about 20 percent of kids reporting participation before age 18.
In addition, a Fairleigh Dickinson survey of voters in 2025 found that 10 percent of men aged 18-30 reported behaviors that would mark them as problem gamblers based on the Problem Gambling Severity Index, a questionnaire widely used by researchers.
In the overall population, that number is closer to 3 percent.
In the news, the New York attorney general filed a lawsuit last week against Coinbase and Gemini for allegedly illegally running gambling operations in New York through their so-called “prediction market” platforms.
In March, the Michigan attorney general filed a lawsuit against KalshiEx, alleging the derivatives exchange and prediction market company violated the state’s Sports Betting Act by allegedly offering unlawful online sports wagers to Michigan residents.
In February, the Washington state attorney general filed a lawsuit against several companies that allegedly operate unlicensed electronic gambling applications, casino apps. The main companies, Playtika and Aristocrat, don’t have licenses to operate their gambling apps in Washington, yet combined they operate 16 apps, the lawsuit alleges.
On the other hand, a dramatic story reported on NPR shows how the power of sports betting can overcome people. When McKay Coppin, a writer for The Atlantic, was given $10,000 to place sports bets for a story, he missed betting at the end of the season when it was time to stop betting and write his story.
Coppin signed a self-exclusion form that prohibits online sportsbooks from taking your action if you think you’re at risk of a gambling addiction or you think you’re becoming a problem gambler.
At the end of the season, Coppin had lost $9,891.
While the gambling industry made a record $78.7 billion in revenue last year, U.S. consumers have more than $100 billion per year in total gambling losses annually.
WalletHub, a personal finance website, compared the 50 states to determine where excessive gambling is most prevalent.
It used a data set of 20 key metrics ranging from the presence of illegal gambling operations to lottery sales per capita to the share of adults with gambling disorders.
| Most gambling-addicted states | Least gambling-addicted states |
| 1. Nevada | 41. Maryland |
| 2. South Dakota | 42. Connecticut |
| 3. Montana | 43. Florida |
| 4. Mississippi | 44. Wisconsin |
| 5. Louisiana | 45. Nebraska |
| 6. West Virginia | 46. Hawaii |
| 7. Pennsylvania | 47. Kansas |
| 8. New Jersey | 48. Alaska |
| 9. Oregon | 49. Vermont |
| 10. Oklahoma | 50. Utah |
“Gambling addictions can destroy lives the same way that alcohol and drug addictions can,” Chip Lupo, an analyst for WalletHub, said. “While some people may be able to enjoy casual gambling from time to time, others need to avoid temptation altogether.”
Lupo said people with a gambling addiction may find it helpful to live in states where places to gamble are less prevalent and laws against betting are stricter.
Nevada is the most gambling-addicted state, ranking first when it comes to both casinos per capita and gaming machines per capita, he said. In addition, about 2.7 percent of adults in Nevada have gambling disorders, one of the highest percentages in the country, and the state has the highest gambling revenues.
Nevada allows retail and convenience stores to have electronic gambling machines for customers to play, and it has legalized both sports betting and gambling on horse races.
Signs of addiction, according to the Addiction Group, a an addiction disorders website, are:
Talking, thinking, and spending all your time on gambling.
- Sneaking around to gamble, hiding your losses, or becoming defensive when you asked about your gambling.
- Seeking bigger gambling risks to feel the same excitement.
- Neglecting responsibilities, avoiding activities, and withdrawing from social life to gamble.
- Skipping showers, meals, or dressing haphazardly due to gambling binges.
- Being irritable and restlessness when you’re not gambling.
- Feeling guilt or shame about your gambling habits.
- Having mood swings, anxiety, and depression.
- Having trouble sleeping.
- Experiencing increased stress.
- Having stress-related problems such as headaches or stomach issues.
- Experiencing poor work performance or job loss
- Having self-harm or suicidal thoughts.
Knowing the signs of an addiction can help you get help early before spiraling into a crisis, the Addiction Group advises. You shouldn’t wait for all the signs of an addiction to show up. The longer you wait to get help, the worse it will get.
