WalletHub, an award-winning personal finance company, based in Miami and owned by Evolution Finance, Inc., has just released its 2024 report on the most gambling-addicted states. With gambling disorders affecting about 1-3% of the US adult population and consumers experiencing more than $100 billion in total gambling losses annually, the company compared the 50 states to find out where problem gambling is most prevalent.
To determine where gambling addictions are most acute, WalletHub used two key dimensions, “Gambling-Friendliness” and “Gambling Problem & Treatment.” These dimensions have been assessed based on 20 different relevant metrics, with each one being graded on a 100-point scale. The highest prevalence of gambling is represented by a score of 100.
The “Gambling-Friendliness” dimension includes metrics such as commercial and tribal casinos per capita, gaming machines per 1,000 residents, and iGaming revenues per capita. The other dimension “Gambling Problem and Treatment” takes into account metrics such as the share of adults, aged 18 and older with gambling disorders, gambling counselors per capita, and “Gamblers Anonymous” Meetings per capita.
The following is a list of the top 5 most gambling-addicted states, according to WalletHub’s report: Nevada, South Dakota, Montana, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania.
Not surprisingly, Nevada ranks first in terms of most gambling addictions in the US, with nearly 2.7% of adults in the state suffering from gambling disorders. The gambling capital of America has the most casinos per capita and the most gaming machines per capita, providing its residents with plenty of opportunities to succumb to addiction. Nevada has a total gambling prevalence score of 72.52.
South Dakota ranks second, with all forms of gambling being allowed in the state, including gambling machines in stores, sports betting, fantasy sports, and horse races. Montana came in at No. 3, with a total score of 59.45. Louisiana ranked fourth, with a score of 57.29. Pennsylvania rounded out the top 5, with a total score of 55.99.
Utah Is the Least Gambling-Addicted State
Cassandra Harpe, an analyst at WalletHub, compared gambling addictions to substance addictions, stating they can be equally destructive. While many people can enjoy gambling as a form of recreation, others “need to avoid temptation altogether”. The specialist has also suggested that problem gamblers “may find it helpful to live in states where places to gamble are less prevalent and laws against betting are stricter.”
Utah, where gambling is prohibited by law, came in at No.50, as the least gambling-friendly state. Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont, and South Carolina are the other four states that are least gambling-friendly.
As the report said, even though gambling is not legal everywhere, it exists across all states. The line between recreational and problem gambling is thin and when it gets out of control, it “becomes a real medical condition”. In this respect, the top 5 states where problem gambling is adequately treated, are New Mexico, West Virginia, Michigan, Indiana, and Connecticut.
