Initial data from UNLV researchers shows problem gambling rates are high among sports bettors in Colorado. Colorado’s Problem Gambling Coalition reportedly awarded UNLV a grant to study gambling behavior in the state earlier this year.
Sports betting is legal to varying degrees in most states — including Arkansas, where people are on track to wager nearly a billion dollars on sports alone this year. But evidence shows sports betting may have unintended consequences. Gambling disorder diagnoses have spiked in states with legalized sports betting. Studies have found people who gamble on sports may be twice as likely to suffer from gambling problems.
So far, UNLV’s data out of Colorado has found 7% of sports gamblers suffer from gambling problems. Researchers tell media outlets that rate is concerning.
Besides gambling disorders, sports betting has been linked to other serious problems.
Sports betting hurts personal finances. Researchers at BYU found that sports betting has led to families saving “significantly less” money, and a study by Northwestern University found that for every dollar spent on sports betting, household investment fell by an average of $2.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Ethics and Public Policy Center, researchers at UCLA, and bankruptcy attorneys across the country all say sports betting is driving a wave of financial problems like credit card delinquencies and bankruptcies.
Sports betting hurts individuals, families, and communities. Research shows that young men who wager on sports may be at increased risk of physical and mental harm. Some studies have also linked legal sports betting to increases in divorce, binge drinking, domestic violence, and violent crime. These problems affect more than just gamblers. They hurt families and whole communities.
Sports betting is predatory. According to an investigative report from The New York Times, sportsbook DraftKings developed an AI algorithm that scored users based on their gambling frequency, daily account balances, and the ratio of their losses to total wagers. The higher a user’s score, the more DraftKings targeted them with promotions. In other words, DraftKings used cutting-edge technology to identify and target the gamblers who may have been most vulnerable to addiction.
Researchers have repeatedly voiced concerns about sports betting advertisements that aggressively target young adults. Some platforms have been accused of hiring social media influencers to record deceptive videos appealing to young gamblers. A report from Common Sense Media found that among boys exposed to gambling content online, 59% said the content appeared in their feeds without them looking for it.
Sports betting is not a harmless pastime. As powerful corporations try to make gambling part of everyday life, it’s important for Arkansas to protect citizens and families from predatory gambling. Otherwise, problem gambling will simply hurt more and more people in our state.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
