Gambling Addiction Treatment Needs Surge Amid Sports Betting App Promotions

Treatment options for sports betting addiction are being explored by young adults throughout the U.S., following the aggressive marketing in recent years for gambling apps like DraftKings, FanDuel and others.

As mobile sports-betting apps become ever more accessible, treatment providers are seeing a surge of young adults in their 20s and 30s who can no longer control their wagers, causing a wave of addiction that experts say is driven by algorithms, brain chemistry and aggressive marketing.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 Murphy v. NCAA decision overturned the federal ban on sports wagering, legal betting has spread to 39 states and Washington, D.C., with more than 30 jurisdictions now allowing full mobile access through platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and Caesars.

What began as a state-by-state economic success story has quickly evolved into a national public health concern, as the convenience of online wagering draws millions of new users, with many of them under 35.

Now, clinics across the country are reporting a sharp rise in young men seeking options for treatment of sports-betting addiction, many describing the same path into compulsive gambling. They recall being drawn in by constant app notifications, “risk-free” promotions, and in-game betting options that kept them chasing losses long after the excitement was gone. Addiction specialists say these cases now mirror substance-use disorders in both intensity and relapse patterns, though the triggers come from screens instead of drugs.

Researchers warn that modern betting platforms are deliberately designed to keep users engaged through rapid betting cycles and unpredictable rewards that flood the brain with dopamine. Over time, this reinforcement reshapes behavior, encouraging risk-taking and eroding self-control. For younger adults, whose prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for judgment and impulse regulation, is still developing, the constant access and personalized algorithms can cause addiction to form in just a few months.

Despite mounting evidence, the National Council on Problem Gambling and the American Society of Addiction Medicine both caution that state-level safeguards remain inadequate, with few jurisdictions requiring independent oversight of so-called “responsible gaming” tools. Critics have claimed that many of these jurisdictions still allow aggressive marketing near college campuses, demographics with high digital exposure, easy app access and limited financial security.

As a result of these addictive designs and predatory marketing efforts, a wave of sport betting addiction lawsuits now accuse leading sportsbook operators like DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM of using data analytics to track user behavior, prolong betting sessions, and suppress warning signs of addiction. Many of the plaintiffs describe suffering devastating sports betting financial losses, with savings wiped out, credit destroyed, and mounting debt that often exceeds the income they once gambled away.

The Surge in Sports Gambling Usage and Addiction

Mobile sports betting has grown at breakneck speed in recent years. According to data from Odds Assist, the total “handle” (amount wagered) by U.S. regulated sportsbooks reached roughly $149.67 billion in 2024, up nearly 25% from 2023.

Meanwhile, a survey by the Siena College Research Institute found that as of early 2024, about 19% of U.S. adults, including 39% of men aged 18-49, reported having an account with an online sports-betting service.

The demographic shift is clear: younger adults are a growing segment of bettors. A survey by the NCAA found that among 18- to 22-year-olds, 16% had engaged in one or more “risky” sports-wagering behaviors and 6% said they had lost more than $500 on a single day of sports betting.

Put simply, more people are betting more often, especially via mobile apps, and a sizable portion are in younger age groups, raising the risk that more of this population will eventually fall into a cycle of sports betting addiction.

Study Finds 23% Rise in Gambling Help Searches

Further validating this growing trend, a JAMA Internal Medicine study published in 2025 found that nationwide searches for gambling addiction help terms like “am I addicted to gambling” have surged 23% since the Supreme Court’s 2018 Murphy v. NCAA decision, representing an estimated 6.5 to 7.3 million searches overall.

The study showed particularly sharp spikes in states that launched online sportsbooks, including Ohio (67%), Pennsylvania (50%), and Massachusetts (47%), linking digital betting access directly to a rise in help-seeking behavior.

Researchers concluded that the probability of these results occurring by chance was “less than one in 25.6 billion,” pointing to a clear causal relationship between sportsbook expansion and addiction risk.

Treatment for Sports Betting Addiction

As digital gambling grows, treatment programs are evolving to meet the unique challenges of mobile sports-betting addiction. Both the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance recommend a structured, evidence-based approach that combines behavioral therapy, financial recovery and digital boundary-setting.

National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) Recommendations

The NCPG outlines several clinically recognized treatment options, emphasizing that recovery is not one-size-fits-all and often combines multiple approaches.

• Counseling: Provided by licensed therapists with expertise in gambling addiction. These sessions may be individual, group-based, or conducted online, and typically incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing to identify and replace harmful betting patterns.
• Peer Support: Programs such as Gamblers Anonymous (GA) connect individuals with peers who have shared experiences in gambling recovery. Structured 12-step programs foster accountability and community, offering support that complements formal counseling.
• Outpatient Treatment Programs: Designed for individuals who can maintain daily responsibilities while receiving therapy. Outpatient programs vary in intensity, with some offering nine or more hours per week of structured treatment while allowing participants to continue work or school.
• Residential Treatment Programs: For those with severe gambling addiction or repeated relapses, residential programs provide a controlled environment free from gambling triggers. These programs combine daily therapy, educational workshops and support groups in a live-in setting.
• Inpatient Treatment Programs: Reserved for the most severe cases, inpatient treatment takes place in hospital or clinical settings, offering 24-hour medical and psychiatric care. These programs integrate addiction therapy with stabilization and supervision to ensure safety and long-term recovery readiness.

Division on Addiction (Cambridge Health Alliance) Recommendations

The Division on Addiction provides a complementary clinical framework focused on behavioral change, motivation and relapse prevention.

• Comprehensive Assessment: Clinicians are encouraged to evaluate gambling severity, mental health and financial harm using standardized assessment tools to determine the appropriate level of care.
• Motivational Interviewing: This method helps clients confront ambivalence and strengthen their desire to change. It is particularly effective for younger adults who may not yet recognize their gambling as addictive.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Considered the gold standard, CBT helps individuals identify distorted beliefs such as “I can win it back,” develop coping strategies, and recognize triggers like push notifications or bonus offers that drive impulsive betting.
• Digital Detox and Self-Exclusion: Counselors guide clients in removing betting apps, disabling notifications, and activating self-exclusion programs to reduce relapse risk in a digitally saturated environment.
• Financial and Social Rehabilitation: Treatment emphasizes financial recovery through budgeting, debt counseling and family involvement, alongside peer support to rebuild social stability and self-confidence.
• Aftercare and Long-Term Monitoring: Ongoing follow-up is vital. The Division recommends periodic check-ins, relapse-prevention sessions, and wellness activities that rebuild healthy reward systems and reinforce long-term recovery.

Sports Betting Lawsuits Over Predatory Designs

The rapid expansion of legalized sports betting has exposed a darker side of the industry, as lawsuits now allege that major platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and Caesars built their apps to encourage addiction rather than prevent it.

Sports betting lawsuits claim these platforms were engineered to exploit psychological triggers, through “risk-free” promotions, live in-game betting, constant push notifications, and personalized bonuses designed to keep users wagering even after heavy losses, all while ignoring warning signs of addiction and targeting high-value users showing compulsive behavior.

As a result, sports betting addiction lawsuits are now being pursued against both online gambling platforms and the universities that facilitated access. These claims allege that young adults were placed at unnecessary risk through coordinated marketing efforts and institutional endorsements that prioritized profit over student welfare.

Who Qualifies for a Sports Betting Lawsuit?

Sports betting addiction lawsuits are being investigated for individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who have incurred more than $10,000 in gambling-related losses after using online platforms such as:

• FanDuel
• DraftKings
• BetMGM
• Caesars
• ESPN Bet
• Bet365
• Fanatics Sportsbook
• PointsBet
• Barstool Sportsbook
• Hard Rock Bet

Sports gambling lawyers are investigating claims on behalf of young adults and college students nationwide who developed compulsive gambling behavior and suffered financial harm that may have been preventable.

In addition, claims are being reviewed for families who lost loved ones to suicide or witnessed suicidal behavior linked to gambling addiction encouraged by these apps.