For the millions of Americans now researching addiction therapy options, behavioral health conditions like problem gambling are increasingly being recognized as a clinical disorder requiring structured care, not just willpower.
A Nation Betting More and Getting Help Less
As of this year, 38 states and the District of Columbia have legalized online sports betting, marking the fastest expansion of gambling in U.S. history.
Roughly 2.5 million Americans experience severe gambling problems annually, with an additional 5 to 8 million meeting one or more criteria for gambling disorder.
Yet the gap between need and treatment is staggering. In Pennsylvania, even among those who met clinical criteria for problem gambling, only about 6% reported getting help.
Just 0.2% of the general adult population said they had sought any assistance at all. You can search for addiction treatment facilities in Philadelphia to help you start your recovery.
This treatment gap isn’t unique to Pennsylvania. It reflects a national pattern experts describe as a “hidden addiction” — one that leaves financial ruin, broken relationships, and mental health crises in its wake before most people ever reach out for support.
The College Campus Crisis
The University of Mississippi this week announced the launch of what its founders describe as the first-of-its-kind Center on Collegiate Gambling in the nation.
The center, approved by the state’s Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees in February at a cost of roughly $700,000 a year, was created to study the heightened risks facing college students and athletes from the rapid growth of legalized sports betting.
The research prompting this move is sobering. A University of Mississippi survey found that 39% of the state’s college students had gambled in some format in the past year.
Among those who engaged in sports betting, 6% met the American Psychiatric Association’s criteria for problem gambling.
A national survey conducted for the National Council on Problem Gambling found that 65% of U.S. adults aged 21 and older reported gambling before turning 21. Among adults aged 21 to 44, a third had placed a sports bet before reaching legal age.
The speed at which young people develop gambling disorders is particularly alarming to clinicians. Addiction counselors note that for college-aged individuals, a dangerous spiral can develop within weeks or months, far faster than in older age groups.
The Hidden Costs States Are Absorbing
Maryland’s experience illustrates the financial and human scale of the problem. A Spotlight on Maryland analysis found that Marylanders lost roughly $2.5 billion gambling in fiscal year 2025.
This included approximately $1 billion through the state lottery and $470 million on sports betting. State gambling revenue totaled over $1.6 billion that same year.
The social toll tracks with the dollars. Surveys by the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling found the share of adults with a severe gambling problem roughly doubled from 2022 to 2024, rising from 1.6% to 3.1%.
This coinicides with the expansion of legal sports betting. Those with moderate gambling problems also increased during the same period.
William Hinman, a recovering gambling addict and peer supervisor at that same center, put it plainly.
Gambling addiction carries the highest suicide risk of any addiction and remains drastically underestimated as a public health threat because its financial harms make it easier to conceal than substance use disorders.
Online Gambling Is Driving Problem Rates Higher
Pennsylvania’s Penn State-led research paints a detailed picture of where the risk is concentrated. Online gambling among Pennsylvania adults nearly tripled over three years, rising from about 11% to as high as 30% in the most recent reporting period.
The state’s iGaming revenues reached over $3 billion, record highs, while more than half of all calls to the state’s gambling helpline now involve online platforms.
The most at-risk group is people who gamble both online and in person. These mixed-mode gamblers wagered close to once a week on average, spent $105 to $230 monthly and were significantly more likely to fall into problem gambling categories than those who gambled in only one setting.
The number of Pennsylvanians voluntarily self-excluding from online gambling in 2024-25 jumped by 65%, with more than 4,400 new enrollments, an indication that awareness of addiction risk is growing even as the market expands.
What This Means for Treatment Seekers
Gambling disorder is a recognized behavioral health condition in the DSM-5 and is increasingly being addressed within addiction treatment settings that also serve people with substance use disorders.
Many individuals with gambling problems also struggle with depression, anxiety or co-occurring substance use, which means a comprehensive evaluation at a qualified treatment center can be an important first step.
Pennsylvania’s Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has announced it is expanding gambling services to include case management supports for the first time.
This means individuals can call 1-800-GAMBLER and access outpatient treatment, financial counseling, and other wraparound services. Similar resources exist in most states and are often free or low-cost.
A recent survey found that 79% of Americans view gambling addiction as being as serious as or more serious than alcohol or drug addiction, yet only 15% of adults reported ever being asked about gambling behavior by a primary care provider. That screening gap means many people in crisis are not being connected to care.
Finding the Right Addiction Treatment
Whether you’re concerned about your own gambling, a family member’s, or a patient’s, the right treatment can make a life-changing difference.
Rehab.com’s directory includes thousands of accredited rehab centers nationwide that can help you start your recovery. Call
800-985-8516
( 
Sponsored Helpline )
for immediate assistance.
