Sports Betting Addiction Statistics – September 2025

Sports betting addiction statistics show that the activity is among the most addictive forms of gambling.

Most online sports bettors have chased their losses, one of the key signs of a gambling problem.

Problem sports gambling has many other signs, such as feeling ashamed after betting, lying about your gambling, losing more than you can afford, and so on.

A gambling addiction diagnosis requires evaluation by a healthcare professional. You must meet several criteria to receive a formal diagnosis. Still, you can have a gambling problem without a diagnosis.

Let’s see how common some of the signs are in the U.S. as of 2025.

2025 Problem Sports Betting Numbers

The Siena College Research Institute (SCRI) and St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication conducted a study in January 2025 looking at the rates of problematic online sports betting behavior.

Gambling Harm considers the SCRI study to be among the most comprehensive look into current sports betting addiction statistics in the U.S.

Here’s an overview of the 2025 sports betting addiction findings:

• 52% of online sports bettors have chased a bet
• 50% have used a gambling addiction tool in a sportsbook app
• 37% have felt ashamed after losing
• 37% have bet more than they felt comfortable with losing
• 23% have had someone express concern about their sports gambling
• 20% have lost money that directly hurt their financial situation
• 20% have lied about the extent of their sports betting
• 16% know someone with an online sports betting problem
• 9% have ever sought help with problem gambling

When factoring in the margin of error, the results weren’t significantly different from what the same researchers uncovered in 2024.

Misconceptions About Winning

While several core problem gambling survey results were little changed, there was a troubling increase in the number of people who think they can win. Overestimation of winning chances is among the most common gambling myths.

In 2024, 80% of online sports bettors thought they could reliably make money betting on sports. In 2025, that percentage rose to an alarming 86%.

A misconception around winning money was even more pronounced among younger bettors.

The 2024 survey from the Siena College Research Institute showed 82% of online sports bettors aged 18-34 thought they could make money wagering on sports.

In 2025, the same survey found that 90% of online sports bettors aged 18-34 thought they could make money from sports betting.

That’s an 8% year-over-year increase in young people expecting to make money from sports betting.

Sports betting can be especially risky for young adults, which is why, for example, the betting site Kalshi raised eyebrows in late 2025 for its plan to hire betting influencers on college campuses.

For many bettors, long-shot parlays are seen as the best way to make money. However, parlays are often akin to playing the lottery due to their astronomical odds.

Related: Why Is Problem Gambling Called The ‘Hidden Addiction’?

Related: Does Sports Betting Involve Skill?

2024 Problem Sports Betting Numbers

In January 2024, the same researchers conducted a survey to shed more light on problem sports betting behaviors gripping the U.S., particularly among younger people.

The American Sport Fanship Survey, conducted by Siena College and St. Bonaventure University, provided signs of growing online sports betting addiction in the U.S.

The survey was conducted Jan. 2-7, 2024, and featured 3,071 U.S. residents. 

Here were the online betting findings that Gambling Harm found notable:

• 56% of all online sports bettors against their favorite team
• 53% have chased losses
• 38% have bet more than they felt they should have
• 37% have felt bad or ashamed after losing an online sports bet
• 24% have bet $500 or more in a single day
• 22% reported that someone they know has expressed concern about their gambling
• 19% have lied to someone about the extent of their betting
• 18% lost a bet that makes it difficult to meet their financial obligations
• 9% have called a problem gambling helpline or sought other help to control their gambling

Young Bettors Most at Risk

Survey responses were categorized by age group, helping identify trends among young adults most at risk.

The study found the most hardcore online bettors were aged 18 to 34. Younger sports bettors have more pervasive signs of a full-blown or developing gambling problem than older age groups.

Neuroscience research suggests that a person’s brain doesn’t fully develop until their mid-20s, making youth particularly vulnerable to problem gambling. 

Teenagers who gamble are up to four times more likely to develop a gambling problem later in life than teens who don’t gamble, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

NCPG’s 2023 Betting Addiction Stats

The National Council on Problem Gambling has data on sports betting addiction statistics from 2023.

According to the NCPG, the rate of gambling problems among sports bettors is at least twice that of gamblers in general.

The accessibility of betting apps, like DraftKings, FanDuel and Bet365, exacerbates addiction. As of mid-2025, more than 30 states had sanctioned online sports betting.

When sports betting is conducted on computers and mobile devices, the rate of disordered gambling is as high as 16%, with another 13% of online sports bettors showing signs of compulsive gambling but not yet meeting the clinical criteria for disordered gambling.

Roughly 30% of online sports bettors experienced gambling problems, according to the NCPG in September 2023. 

The rate of sports betting addiction appears to be rising incrementally every year.

Betting Addiction Statistics Vary By Sport

Not all sports are equal when it comes to compulsive gambling. 

The NFL is by far the most popular sports league for gambling in the U.S., so it fuels the most problems.

The NFL has the most hardcore fans among the American pro leagues, and dangerous binge drinking is also part of the football fan culture.

According to a study by Optimove, up to 45% of NFL bettors reported losing more than they could afford. Losing more than you intended is a core sign of a gambling problem, potentially putting someone on the path to a full-fledged gambling disorder.

The rate of problem gambling among NFL bettors is likely higher than it is among sports bettors broadly.

NFL football wagering is the riskiest form of gambling for many sports fans.

Fueling the problem are advertisements. Around 5% of in-game NFL advertisements are for sports gambling, according to 2024 reporting from the Associated Press. 

The percentage, which the NFL has tried to keep relatively low, will likely inch up over time as sports betting becomes more normalized. Still, the ads help fuel NFL betting addiction among millions of fans.

As a marketing campaign, the casino industry promotes setting a so-called NFL betting budget. The concept puts the onus on consumer, not the addictive productive.

Recent Super Bowls have featured several sports betting commercials, an unpleasant situation for people trying to enjoy the game without the influence of gambling.

Betting Addiction Statistics Looking Forward

State-sanctioned online sports betting has been available since 2018, so it’s still the early days of this growing industry. We are still learning about the rates of addiction among online sports bettors, particularly among vulnerable teens and young adults.

While the legal age for online sports betting is 21 in nearly every state that sanctions the activity, many underage sports gamblers report using a family member’s account.

A storm of sports gambling addiction is brewing in the U.S.

Some people may develop a gambling problem after just a few betting experiences, while for others it might creep on slowly and take months to years to become a problem.

Gambling Harm expects online sports betting addiction statistics to worsen over time.

What we do know now is that online sports betting is already causing an epidemic of addiction among people who partake in it. It’s only the beginning.

There are many reasons why you shouldn’t bet on sports.

Problem Betting FAQ

How Addictive is Sports Betting?

Studies show sports betting is among the most addictive forms of gambling. While it’s not the most popular form of gambling, individuals who bet on sports can show signs of problem gambling more frequently than other gambling cohorts.

The rate of problem gambling among sports bettors is double the rate among gamblers in general, according to the NCPG.

How Many People Have a Sports Betting Addiction?

As many as 64.5 million people in the U.S. gamble on sports at least once a year, according to statistics from Pew Research and the American Gaming Association. 

The rate of problem gambling among sports bettors is at least 29%, according to the NCPG. Based on these findings, as many as 18.7 million people experience a problem when they bet.

What Percentage of Sports Bettors Win?

Sports bettors can win some of their bets, but nearly all sports bettors fail to make money in the long run. In the short or medium term, it’s possible to win more often than you lose, but over time, you will lose money on sports betting rather than earn money. 

It’s virtually impossible to earn a reliable income from sports betting, partly due to the industry’s practice of limiting winners.