Gambling Disorder Diagnoses Rise in States with Legal Sports Betting

Why it matters locally: California legalized online sports betting in 2022, and the findings of this study could inform discussions about public health resources and regulatory frameworks within the state.

Electronic health records from millions of individuals show a rise in gambling disorder diagnoses in U.S. states that legalized sports betting. This increase did not occur in states where sports wagering remained illegal, according to a recent study. The research compared health data from states with legal sports gambling to those without. Analysts specifically focused on diagnosis rates related to gambling disorders. The findings suggest a correlation between the availability of legal sports betting and a greater incidence of these diagnoses. Researchers drew their conclusions from an analysis of extensive electronic health records. These records provided a large dataset for comparing health trends across different regulatory environments regarding sports betting.