According to a survey released Monday, the number of states with legalized sports betting has expanded in recent years, and the need for more public health awareness has expanded, so internet searches seeking help with gambling addiction have been growing. “It’s increased significantly.”
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego and Brynmaur University “suggests that sportsbooks pose considerable health concerns,” wrote in the JAMA internal medical journal.
“There is a need for a change in the paradigm of how regulatory frameworks and how health organizations work together to address the complexities of gambling harm,” the researchers wrote.
The investigation dissolved monopoly on Nevada practices following a 2018 Supreme Court decision, clearing the path to state-sponsored sports gambling, resulting in a billion-dollar industry. Because it exploded into the
According to the American Gaming Association, Americans have bet an estimated $1.4 billion at this year’s Super Bowl.
Currently, 38 states and Washington, DC allow sports betting in some way, whether physical facilities or online. Some states generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue each year.
Research shows online searches for gambling addiction help have increased year by year over 2021 as the community pandemic halted sporting events in 2020.
Researchers analysed monthly Google searches surrounding gambling addiction, including the “Gambling Addiction Hotline” and “I’m a gambling addict,” and found that since the Supreme Court ruling, 23% more searches were cumulatively more than expected. I discovered something.
In the next 73 months, “we had around 650,300,000 searches nationwide for gambling addiction help in June 2023, with 180,000 searches per month during their peak hours,” the survey said. It’s there.
The researchers also conducted independent assessments in eight states: Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
They concluded that higher search volumes in these states are “very unlikely to be attributed to coincidence.”
“The cumulative increase in searches in each state is higher than in the aggregate model, suggesting that a normal peak month occurred in 2024, suggesting that searches continue to increase even after the launch of sportsbooks,” the survey said. According to.
A surge in sports betting companies in TV and social media ads, and major casino operators rebranding to highlight offerings, has once normalised taboo activity, co-author of the study. Matthew Allen said.
Researchers concluded that an increase in online searching means that we need to stay ahead of the issue of gambling addiction, including research and comprehensive health care responses.
“Speed measures are essential to prevent escalation of gambling-related harms and their long-term outcomes,” the researchers said.
This month, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. , and D-ore. Rep. Andrea Salinas has reintroduced the first-ever legislation dedicated to federal funding for gambling addiction treatment, prevention and research efforts across the country.
The bill is supported by the National Council on Issues Gambling, a nonprofit that runs 1-800-GAMBLER, the nonprofit that runs the national helpline. If passed, we will secure 50% of federal sports excise tax revenue for treatment and research on gambling addiction.
“The increasing legalization of sports betting, coupled with the ability to place bets from your mobile phone whenever it creates a perfect storm of gambling addiction, brings a serious public health crisis,” Blumental said.
“With this law, we work to stop addiction and save lives,” he added.
