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More than half of US adults gamble at least once a month, and roughly one in eight do so daily, according to a national survey released Oct. 13 by Brigham Young University’s Wheatley Institute.
The survey of 2,548 US adults examined participation in 16 gambling activities, including:
- Lottery tickets
- Casino games
- Charity raffles
- Sports betting apps
- Prediction markets
- High-risk financial trading, which researchers classified as a form of wagering.
The report, “Gambling With Our Future,” found that 55% of respondents gambled at least monthly. Monthly participation was higher among men, at 63%, than women, at 48%.
Researchers pointed to mobile betting and widespread advertising as factors making gambling more accessible and socially accepted. The findings also highlight concerns about financial expectations, gambling-related harm and the effects on relationships.
Men report higher gambling participation
Men reported gambling more frequently than women across the survey’s findings. Monthly participation reached 63% among men, compared with 48% among women.
Financial gain and entertainment were among the leading motivations for gambling. About four in 10 respondents cited making money as a primary reason.
Motivations varied by age. Among adults aged 18-29, 53% cited making money, compared with 50% who cited entertainment. Among adults 30 and older, entertainment led at 51%, while 37% cited financial gain.
Young men report more frequent betting
Younger adults reported more frequent gambling than older respondents, with young men recording the highest participation rates.
- Among adults aged 18-29, 59% of men said they gambled at least a few times a week, compared with 34% of women.
- Among adults 30 and older, the figures fell to 33% for men and 20% for women.
Mobile sports betting was also more common among young men. Among respondents aged 18-29, 67% of men said they had placed a sports bet through an app in the past year, compared with 41% of women in the same age group.
The survey also found differences in reported gambling losses and spending. Men were three times as likely as women to report losing more than $1,000 in a single day. Among weekly gamblers, men were also three times as likely as women to report spending $500 or more per week.
These figures reflect respondents’ reports of their gambling activity and spending.
Many gamblers still expect to win
Although about 80% of respondents agreed that gamblers generally lose money over time, roughly half of gamblers expected to break even or win after an hour of play.
The report characterizes this contrast as a potential false sense of optimism about individual outcomes. Despite recognizing the long-term risks, some respondents continued to view gambling as a possible source of income.
About one in five adults considered the lottery a viable way to make money, while a similar share believed frequent betting could generate steady profits.
Moral concerns also did not necessarily translate into abstaining from gambling. About 40% of adults viewed betting as morally wrong and potentially addictive. Yet 71% of respondents who held those views said they had gambled in the past year.
Gambling-related harm extends beyond bettors
The survey found that gambling-related harm can affect people who do not gamble themselves.
- About 21% said someone else’s gambling had harmed them financially, emotionally or in another way.
- 39% said they knew someone with a gambling problem.
Paul Lambert, Religion Initiative director at the Wheatley Institute and a co-author of the report, said the consequences can extend beyond the person placing a bet to affect family members, friends and others.
Frequent gamblers also reported higher levels of depression, anxiety and hopelessness. However, the survey does not establish that gambling caused these experiences.
Researchers also reported differences in gambling participation associated with religious attendance. Adults who attended religious services more frequently reported participating in all 16 gambling activities at higher rates.
The finding describes an association and does not establish that religious attendance causes gambling participation.
Researchers call for better gambling education
Shima Baradaran Baughman, a co-author of the report, called for greater public education about gambling odds and closer attention to gambling’s potential effects on mental health and relationships.
Lambert said gambling has become part of everyday life for many Americans, underscoring the importance of understanding its broader consequences.
The researchers also identified faith communities as potential sources of support. Although religious participation does not necessarily protect people from gambling-related problems, these communities may help individuals recognize harmful behavior and connect with support services.
Survey examines 16 gambling activities
The Wheatley Institute developed the survey, and Qualtrics collected responses from 2,548 US adults. The sample included an oversample of adults aged 18-29 to allow researchers to examine younger respondents in greater detail.
Researchers used quotas for age, gender, race and income when recruiting participants, then weighted the results for age.
The report, “Gambling With Our Future,” was written by Stephen Cranney, Paul Lambert, Shima Baradaran Baughman, Anna Elmer and Jason Carroll.
The press release does not state a margin of error for the survey. Its quota-based sampling and weighting methods should also be considered when interpreting the findings as estimates of the broader US adult population.
