Most Gambling-Addicted States, Where PA Ranks
Whether it’s recreational or social gambling, either way, you’re willing to risk something you value in the hope of getting something of even greater value. The personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2023’s Most Gambling Addicted States.
In order to call out the states where gambling addiction is most prevalent, they compared the 50 states across several key metrics. The data set ranges from the presence of illegal gambling operations to lottery sales per capita to the share of adults with gambling disorders.
Where does Pennsylvania rank?
According to the report, Pennsylvania made the top ten on the most gambling-addicted states list. At number 9, the study found that the state has the fewest gambling-related arrests per capita.
The most gambling-addicted states.
On the report, Nevada, South Dakota, and Montana were listed as the most gambling-addicted states. Though they found that South Dakota and Oklahoma have almost as many casinos and gaming machines as the state of Nevada.
The least gambling-addicted states.
When it comes to the least gambling-addicted states, Alaska, Vermont, and Utah were at the bottom of the list. Out of these three states, Utah has the least amount of lottery sales per capita.
Also, the study found that Mississippi and Minnesota share the highest percentage of gambling addicts. States including California, Louisiana, Delaware and Nevada have the most gambling-related arrests.
While the gambling industry made a record $60 billion in revenue last year, U.S. consumers experience over $100 billion per year in total gambling losses annually. Gambling can become a real medical condition known as a gambling disorder.
It affects about 1 to 3 percent of all U.S. adults. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Gambling can stimulate the brain’s reward system much like drugs such as alcohol can, leading to addiction.”
See the full list of 2023’s Most Gambling Addicted States here.
