Sports Betting Problems Surge As More Americans Gamble Online, Survey Finds

Gambling addiction is particularly impacting single, less-educated Hispanic and African American men, according to a University of Maryland survey.

A new study warns that the legalization of sports betting on mobile apps is fueling a sharp rise in gambling addiction, leading to increasing financial and mental harm.

Rates of problem gambling, pathological gambling and disordered gambling have increased sharply between 2010 and 2024. In some cases, they have even doubled, according to a survey taken of thousands of consumers in the state of Maryland.

The most serious gambling addictions, known as disordered gambling, increased from 3.4% in 2010 to 5.7% last year, the findings show.

Legalized Sports Betting Concerns

In 2018 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Murphy v. NCAA overturning the federal ban on sports betting. Now, 39 states and the District of Columbia have legalized sports betting, with 30 jurisdictions allowing gambling via mobile access through platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and Caesars.

Since then, mental health experts nationwide have reported a sharp rise in young men seeking options for treatment of sports-betting problems, many describing the same path into compulsive gambling—being enticed by “risk-free” promotions, in-game betting options and other marketing tactics.

As a result of these addictive designs and predatory marketing tactics, sport betting problem 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.

The new survey was conducted by the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling, involving more than 3,600 people in the state of Maryland, which legalized gambling in 2022.

The 2024 Statewide Gambling Prevalence in Maryland Survey is designed to estimate the prevalence of gambling in the state. Forms of gambling factored into the survey included casino gambling, online casino-style games, horse races, slot machines, sports betting, lottery games, bingo for money and private gambling.

The survey compared gambling rates in 2024 to rates in 2010, 2017, 2020 and 2022. The number of people who had ever gambled saw little change, from 89.7% to 89.8%. There was also little change in rates of low-risk gambling and at-risk gambling. 

However, more serious forms of gambling nearly doubled in every category:

• Problem Gambling increased from 1.9% in 2010 to 2.7% in 2024.
• Probably Pathological Gambling increased from 1.5% in 2010 to 3.1% in 2024.
• Disordered Gambling increased from 3.4% in 2010 to 5.7% in 2024.

The survey found higher rates of gambling problems among men who were single, African American or Hispanic, and among those who have a high school diploma education or less.

“These current findings underscore the fact that disordered gambling behavior is a substantial source of hardship for many Marylanders. Some of the sociodemographic groups affected most by disordered gambling behavior in Maryland are also marginalized with respect to economics, substance use, and access to health care.”

– 2024 Statewide Gambling Prevalence in Maryland Survey

Financial Toll of Sports Betting Addiction

Beyond the rising rates of addiction identified in the Maryland survey, the financial consequences of sports betting have emerged as one of the most devastating impacts of mobile gambling expansion. 

Many individuals who develop gambling problems report rapid and severe losses, often accumulating tens of thousands of dollars in debt within a short period of time through repeated bets, credit card use and online payment services linked directly to sportsbook apps.

Mental health experts warn that the speed and accessibility of mobile sports betting can accelerate financial harm in ways not seen with traditional forms of gambling. In-game betting, instant deposits and constant push notifications allow losses to compound quickly, while the illusion of control created by live odds and promotional incentives can drive repeated attempts to recover money that has already been lost. 

However, the financial fallout often extends beyond the individual gambler, affecting families, partners and communities. Researchers have noted that gambling-related debt is closely linked to housing instability, relationship breakdowns and increased stress and anxiety, particularly among lower-income households already facing economic pressure.

Sports Betting Problems Lawsuits

A growing number of individuals are now pursuing lawsuits over sports betting problems, claiming that betting sites target college-age users or other individuals vulnerable to gambling addiction, encouraging them to place high-frequency bets, even when their algorithms single the users out as having signs of problem gambing.

Some of these users continued to receive personalized incentives and marketing offers after requesting account closures or appearing on self-exclusion lists, raising serious concerns about how platforms exploit vulnerable behavior.

If you or someone you love suffered financial harm from compulsive gambling on these apps, contact a sports gambling lawyer to see if you are eligible to recover losses and hold companies accountable for their potentially addictive design and predatory targeting practices.

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