State by state, problem gambling centers are noticing an alarming increase in calls to their helplines.
Directors of five problem gambling centers, gambling researchers and addiction counselors say the situation is also getting worse. Some people file for bankruptcy or lose their homes or relationships. At the same time, experts said callers skewed younger, with many men in their 20s and 30s.
Directors said the increase in call volume coincided with the legalization of sports betting and the growing popularity of sports betting apps.
“Since 2018, we believe that the incidence and severity of problem gambling has increased across the United States,” said the nonprofit organization dedicated to minimizing the costs and harms of gambling addiction. said Keith White, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling. . The group operates a helpline, 1-800-GAMBLER.
“There is good reason to believe that the growth of online sports betting is a major factor in the rise in problem gambling,” White said.
In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down a law banning sports betting. To date, 38 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized the practice, according to the American Gaming Association, which advocates for the industry. Thirty of those states allow mobile sports betting.
Florida legalized sports betting in November, and requests to the Compulsive Gambling Council have doubled since then. The Pennsylvania Council on Compulsive Gambling reported that the number of consultations more than doubled from 2020 to 2023.
Meanwhile, calls to Ohio's Problem Gambling Network increased by 55% in 2023, the first year sports betting was legalized in the state.
“We're seeing an emerging trend where it's sports bettors who are actually offsetting the significant increase in call volume,” said Michael Buselli, an associate director at the group. By February 2023, sports betting was the most common form of problem gambling reported to the helpline, surpassing lottery tickets and casino slot machines, he said.
The issue has come back to the spotlight in recent weeks after the Los Angeles Dodgers fired Shohei Ohtani's translator, Ippei Mizuhara, after he was accused of stealing money from the star player to cover gambling debts. ing. (Mizuhara has changed his story and has not commented directly on the theft charges.) Around the same time, Cleveland Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff said he was receiving threats from gamblers.
The companies behind the apps say they are taking steps to reduce the risk of problem gambling, and question whether the trend is as big as other companies say. . In their view, mobile gambling allows previously illegal activities to be monitored without safeguards.
FanDuel, which averages about 2.5 million players per month, suspends or even closes accounts if a customer exhibits questionable behavior, such as losing a series of bets and placing increasingly large bets. He said that sometimes he does.
“We're making sure that a small number of people in the United States who shouldn't be using our platform can't access it, just like you shouldn't drink if you have a problem with alcohol. '' said company spokesperson Chris Jones. He declined to say how many such cases there were.
DraftKings, which averaged 3.5 million monthly paid users at the end of last year, up from 1.5 million at the end of 2020, declined to be quoted for this article.
Gambling experts say despite efforts by companies, the risk of addiction remains high even as sports betting has become more accessible and well-advertised.
Several experts pointed to certain aspects of online sports betting, saying it can be more addictive than traditional gambling. For example, a focus on sports can make betting seem less risky because people have prior knowledge about player statistics and team performance. Also, unlike casinos, the mobile His app allows you to bet money directly from your bank account.
“It's easy and quick to place a lot of bets, which could make vulnerable people more likely to experience gambling problems,” said Mark Potenza, director of Yale University's Gambling Research Center of Excellence. said.
Moreover, the possibilities are virtually endless.
“There are hundreds, if not thousands, of bets on each individual game, and now you can bet on your smartphone,” said Josh Ercole, executive director of the Pennsylvania Compulsive Gambling Council. said. “You're not calling a bookmaker to advertise, “The Eagles will beat the Giants.''
White said sports betting apps need easy-to-use, visible tools that allow players to set limits on how much time and money they can spend, and they need easy access to a national helpline. He said there is.
DraftKings, FanDuel, and other apps allow users to limit the amount they can bet, the number of bets they can make, and the amount of time they spend betting. DraftKings users can find this under the heading “Responsible Gaming” in their settings, while FanDuel users can find it from the small icon labeled “RG” at the top of the homepage. FanDuel also advertises a helpline when users log in, and both apps allow users to voluntarily ban themselves.
Experts also say that an increase in sports betting advertising is fueling this trend, with one report saying that US sports betting operators will increase their national TV advertising from September 2021 to May 2022. The company reportedly spent approximately $282 million on the project.
“Before 2018, there were no sports betting ads during events. Now, not only are events filled with sports betting ads, but you can also bet on the game right in front of you,” says White. he said.
American Gaming Association spokeswoman Kate DeBaun suggested that advertising is “one of the main reasons customers move to legal, regulated sportsbooks.” Some of his FanDuel ads highlight the app's voluntary time and wagering limits.
Jake, 49, a member of Gamblers Anonymous, said he is not opposed to legal sports betting, but that advertising and targeted promotions make it harder for some people to quit. He said he was concerned. He requested that his last name not be published for privacy reasons.
Although online sports betting is not yet legal in Georgia, where Jake lives, he said there are many young people at Gamblers Anonymous meetings, many of whom are hooked on mobile gaming.
“I started seeing younger and younger people at conferences. I was the youngest person the first time I met them. I was in my early 40s,” he said.
Jake said his addiction began when he started betting illegally online through bookmakers and offshore websites.
“I was very competitive in sports and played a lot of high school sports,” Jake said. “I stopped playing after high school and missed out on being competitive. I chased that high and got it by gambling.”
In the end, he said: He lost his business. He lost hundreds of thousands of dollars by taking out loans and maxing out his credit cards. ”
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, approximately 1% of adults in the United States meet diagnostic criteria for a gambling problem. But a 2021 City Council survey found that a quarter of young people reported signs of a gambling problem, such as hiding their bets from others or feeling restless or irritable when trying to withhold their bets. It turns out that I experience at least one of them frequently.
“The legalization of sports betting, the ease of online betting platforms, and the normalization of sports betting are contributing to the spread of addiction among those struggling with addiction,” said New York City Family Addiction Specialist. co-founder Lynn Sternlicht said in an email. She added that push notifications can create a sense of urgency and encourage addictive behaviors.
Both the gaming industry and federal lawmakers have worked to address these issues.
Last week, seven gaming companies, including DraftKings and FanDuel, announced an industry group to promote responsible gaming research and education. The group wants to create a database where companies can share information. For example, if a user voluntarily bans an app, other companies will learn to ban that user as well.
Last year, the American Gaming Association also imposed a requirement that people appearing in sports betting ads be at least 21 years old and banned partnerships with universities that promote sports betting.
Meanwhile, House Democrats introduced a bill in January that would earmark 50% of federal sports betting revenue for gambling addiction treatment and research.
Mr. White said this action was critically needed.
“The federal government collected more than $8 billion in gambling tax revenue last year. But they haven't returned a single penny of that windfall to the health care system,” he said.
