Ohio gambling spikes, but data yet to capture full picture
Problem gambling rates in Ohio have surged sharply over the past decade, prompting fresh warnings from experts as a packed US sporting calendar drives increased betting activity.
With the NCAA Final Four, NFL Draft and the start of the MLB season drawing massive audiences, industry data shows problem gambling prevalence in the state rose from 0.4% in 2012 to 2.8% in 2022 — equating to around 255,000 adults.
Derek Longmeier, executive director of the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio, said the figures likely understate the current situation, as they pre-date the rollout of legal mobile sports betting.
“While the most recent statewide data we have is from 2022, we already saw problem gambling rates increase sevenfold over the previous decade,” he said.
“Because this data is only collected every five years, it doesn’t yet capture the full impact of mobile sports betting and newer platforms. The problem is growing exponentially and that’s particularly concerning as we head into a packed sports calendar.”
He warned that expanding betting access, combined with heavy advertising tied to major events, is accelerating risk exposure, particularly among younger audiences.
Americans are expected to wager $3.3 billion on this year’s NCAA tournaments, up 54% in three years, while 62% of respondents in a recent poll expressed concern about gambling advertising’s impact on youth.
“We know the more opportunities there are to gamble, Ohioans will gamble,” Longmeier said. “Our job is to help them understand appropriate limits and to recognize when play becomes problematic. Both help and hope are available.”
Pause Before You Play is Ohio’s statewide awareness campaign targeting sports betting. It encourages individuals to set guardrails, like time and money limits, when betting on sports or other forms of gambling.
