‘Avoid Temptation’: Gambling Addiction Rates are Highest in These 5 States
By Movieguide® Contributor
Gambling rates are increasing across the United States, and Nevada, South Dakota, Montana, Louisiana and Pennsylvania are the most addicted states in the country.
WalletHub explains that, while some people gamble recreationally—this includes the occasional lottery ticket or trip to the casino—the habit can quickly become a disorder.
According to WalletHub, “Gambling disorder, as it’s known, affects about 1-3% of all U.S. adults. That addiction can lead to serious economic consequences. While the gambling industry made a record $66.5 billion in revenue last year, U.S. consumers experience over $100 billion per year in total gambling losses annually.”
Movieguide® previously reported:
Online gambling, an emerging public health emergency, is threatening young Americans.
“I have patients who gamble in the shower. I have patients who gamble before they get out of bed in the morning. I have patients who gamble while they are driving. There are no guardrails,” said Harry Levant, an addiction therapist…
The Guardian reported in December, “The United States is heading into a ‘quagmire, if not crisis,’ of gambling addiction among young people, according to counselors and clinicians – prompting calls for a regulatory crackdown.”
Forbes reported that in 2022, Americans “gambled away a record-breaking amount of money.”
“The nation’s casinos and mobile gaming apps rang up a record $54.93 billion in revenue during the first 11 months of 2022. With one month still being tallied, 2022 has already smashed the $53.04 billion record by 13.5%, according to data collected from state regulators by the American Gaming Association,” the outlet added.
Gambling is most prevalent in Nevada, home to Las Vegas, the gambling mecca of the world.
South Dakota legalized “betting on fantasy sports, regular sports and horse races, and it allows gambling machines to be put in stores.” It’s also tied for first for the state with the most casinos and gaming machines.
In Montana, 2.5% of its population is addicted to gambling, and the state does not require businesses to train their employees on the signs of addiction.
The prevalence of gambling across the country is cause for concern.
“Gambling addictions can destroy lives the same way that alcohol and drug addictions can,” Cassandra Happe, a WalletHub analyst, said. “While some people may be able to enjoy casual gambling from time to time, others need to avoid temptation altogether. People with a gambling addiction may find it helpful to live in states where places to gamble are less prevalent and laws against betting are stricter.”
Movieguide® previously reported:
A teen warned parents about gambling addictions as sports betting becomes legal across a majority of states and is accessible to those under 21.
In an interview with Good Morning America last year, a 19-year-old shared his struggles with gambling, an addiction he fell into due to easy access to online gambling sites. In a follow-up with the pseudonymously named “Steve,” GMA found that it is incredibly hard for those exposed to gambling at a young age to overcome the addiction.
“I really felt like I had put it behind me,” said the teen, who relapsed after multiple months away from the addiction due to the proliferation of sports betting advertisements.
“It was just the temptation of sports betting, you know, all the ads. I’m not going to say that the ads are the reason I did it, but just constantly being reminded of it,” he said.
Steve had completed three months of rehab before his relapse and had been one month clean when he talked with GMA. He plans to continue battling the addiction as he heads off to college and will work with his sponsor while he is away from home.
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