Gambling Addiction Leads to Increased Suicide Risk for Young People: Study

Research continues to link sports betting to rising suicide risks among young adults, fueling concerns over platforms targeting youth with aggressive ads.

With the surge in online betting fueling global concerns about gambling addiction, a new study warns that young people who struggle with problem gambling face a heightened risk of suicide.

The findings were published in the journal Addiction on September 16, examining suicide risks among young people at one, four and five years after problem gambling was first identified.

Problem gambling has come under increased scrutiny as more states relax sports betting laws, giving online platforms greater opportunities to expand and target younger audiences. 

Critics warn that these platforms, which promote micro-betting and rapid-fire bets on a wide range of games in real time, are fueling massive sports betting financial losses that leave young adults trapped in debt and at greater risk of suicidal actions.

As a result, a series of sports betting addiction lawsuits have been filed in recent months, alleging that companies like FanDuel, DraftKings and others are engaging in deceptive marketing tactics and have designed addictive platforms, which can lead users, especially students and young adults, into severe financial and emotional distress.

In the new study, researchers from the School of Psychological Science at the University of Bristol in the U.K., examined data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) on non-fatal suicide attempts for a cohort of 2,801 individuals from the United Kingdom.

Led by Oliver Bastiani, the team measured the number of suicide attempts at 24 and 25 years of age for the cohort, and compared that data with the corresponding individual’s problem gambling severity index (PGSI) during the prior four years.

Researchers found that, at age 24, about 2.6% of people in the study reported attempting suicide in the past year. By age 25, that number was slightly lower, at about 1.9%.

According to the study, higher scores on the PGSI were linked to a greater risk of suicide attempts. The connection was clear for attempts at age 24, as well as for predicting future attempts over the next one and four years. However, the link became less certain when looking at a five-year period, and researchers also found the evidence to be inconclusive when using gambling issues between the ages of 20 and 24 to directly predict suicide attempts at age 24.

“Among young adults in the United Kingdom, harmful gambling appears to be associated with suicide attempts; however, this association may be more complex long-term, and increases in harmful gambling during adulthood may not be an important factor.”

— Oliver Bastiani, The relationship between Problem Gambling Severity Index scores and suicidality: Results of a 9-year cohort study of young United Kingdom adults

The team emphasized that these findings could be used to help inform policy decisions regarding potential harm reduction measures for problem gambling.

Gambling Addiction Lawsuits

In the U.S., a number of sports betting addiction lawsuits have been filed against sites like DraftKings, FanDuel and others in recent years, alleging that these gambling platforms have specifically targeted younger users with deliberate strategies, designed to encourage repetitive use, impulsive betting and prolonged engagement.

A growing number of these lawsuits suggest that sportsbooks have fueled devastating financial losses among young adults, particularly on college campuses, with plaintiffs and addiction experts claiming that the platforms have exploited compulsive behavior with deceptive promotions and predatory app designs, leaving users trapped in cycles of debt.

As a result, sports gambling lawyers are investigating claims on behalf of individuals nationwide who developed compulsive gambling behavior and suffered financial harm that may have been preventable.

If you or a loved one developed a gambling addiction after using sports betting apps like DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars or others, you could be eligible for a free case evaluation to determine whether you qualify for an individual lawsuit or to join a potential class action.