Online gambling's impact on public health escalated, according to a Harvard panel discussion.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of online gambling, a growing concern surrounds its potential impact on public health. With the global online gambling market projected to reach $117.5 billion by 2025 and the U.S. market expected to approach $6 billion in 2025, the increase in accessibility through technological innovations like mobile platforms and virtual reality poses significant risks [1][2][3].
The public health implications of this growth are far-reaching. Greater access to gambling, particularly through mobile devices (which account for 81% of the U.S. market), leads to more frequent and impulsive gambling, heightening addiction risk [1][3]. This, in turn, correlates with mental health consequences such as anxiety, depression, and increased suicide risk [1]. Furthermore, social harms such as financial distress, family breakdown, and criminal behavior can arise from uncontrolled gambling [1].
Currently, the regulatory environment in the U.S. is fragmented, with states imposing varied and increasing tax rates on gambling revenues (some states up to 51%) and different licensing and operational rules [2][5]. This patchwork results in unequal player protections, complex enforcement, and a revenue focus that sometimes prioritizes tax revenue generation over enhanced public health safeguards [5].
Given these challenges, there is an urgent need for federal regulation and safeguards to establish consistent standards for responsible gambling features, mandate public health interventions, ensure data transparency and monitoring, and regulate marketing practices to prevent exploitation of vulnerable groups [3][5].
Experts, including Lia Nower, the director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University, have suggested a federal opt-out program that would allow problem gamblers and those prone to addiction to exclude their access to gambling websites and apps [2]. Another voice supporting this call is Shekhar Saxena, an adjunct professor of global mental health at Harvard, who stated that responsible gambling is something companies often talk about but places the responsibility on the individual [2].
The surge in online gambling has also brought a new demographic to the problem gambling arena, including educated, high-paying job holders, and those with a higher place in society than traditional gambling addicts [2]. This underscores the need for comprehensive federal regulation to protect all individuals from the risks associated with online gambling.
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health recently hosted a panel discussing these issues, highlighting the increased public health risks due to digital gambling, including online gambling, online sports betting, sweepstakes websites, and wagering exchanges [2]. Responsible gaming experts, addiction counselors, and public health researchers believe more safeguards are needed due to the mainstreaming of sports betting and the presence of offshore and unregulated gambling websites [2].
As of June 23, 2025, the American Gaming Association will unveil its annual State of the Industry presentation, to be led by President and CEO Bill Miller [2]. This event promises to shed light on the ongoing dialogue surrounding the balance between economic interests and public health protection in the online gambling industry.
References:
[1] https://www.statista.com/topics/1114/online-gambling/ [2] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/business/online-gambling-public-health.html [3] https://www.npr.org/2025/02/07/1075155165/online-gambling-risks-and-regulation [4] https://www.gambling.org/problem/statistics/us/ [5] https://www.ncpgambling.org/newsroom/press-releases/latest-ncpg-research-finds-that-2-5-million-adults-in-the-u-s-have-a-severe-gambling-problem-another-5-to-8-million-adults-are-considered-to-have-mild-or-moderate-gambling-disorders/
This article was last updated on June 23, 2025.
- The global online gambling market, projected to reach $117.5 billion by 2025, is a significant concern in terms of public health, with online casinos, internet casinos, and sports betting posing risks.
- Technology-driven innovations like mobile platforms and virtual reality increase accessibility to online gambling, leading to more frequent and impulsive gambling, which heightens addiction risk.
- The U.S. market alone is expected to approach $6 billion in 2025, yet the regulatory environment is fragmented, leading to unequal player protections and complex enforcement.
- Experts suggest federal regulation to establish consistent standards for responsible gambling features, mandate public health interventions, ensure data transparency, and regulate marketing practices to protect vulnerable groups.
- Online gambling platforms have brought a new demographic to problem gambling, including educated, high-paying job holders, highlighting the need for comprehensive federal regulation.
- The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health recently hosted a panel discussion on digital gambling risks, including online gambling, sports betting, sweepstakes, and wagering exchanges, emphasizing the need for more safeguards due to the mainstreaming of sports betting and the presence of offshore and unregulated gambling websites.
