DEDHAM, Mass. — Sports betting has become a routine part of American life, but new research is raising concerns about what the rapid growth of online gambling could mean for mental health.
The findings come as sports wagering becomes increasingly accessible. A recent survey from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission found 70% of young adults say they bet on sports.
Mark Meiselbach of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said the accessibility of online betting helped prompt researchers to examine its potential health effects.
“We’ve never seen gambling and sports betting and other forms of gambling be more accessible or really inescapable than they are now,” Meiselbach said.
Researchers analyzed health insurance claims from January 2016 through December 2023, a period when many states, including Massachusetts, legalized online sports betting. They compared that data with claims from states that had not legalized sports betting by the end of 2023.
According to Meiselbach, researchers found a 5% to 7% increase among both men and women in prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants, as well as outpatient diagnoses for depression and anxiety.
For many people, gambling remains an occasional form of entertainment. But researchers warn that for others, sports betting can become a problem.
Meiselbach said warning signs can include an inability to control gambling, staying up late trying to chase losses, betting on games in other countries, and constantly checking scores. Problem gambling can also be associated with increased substance use and mental health consequences, according to the study.
Researchers say the sheer number of people now exposed to sports betting means problems could affect many people.
Meiselbach hopes the findings encourage healthcare providers to consider screening patients for gambling addiction and help consumers recognize that gambling can have consequences beyond losing money.
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