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As Americans pour billions into World Cup 2026 betting, analysts estimate that bettors could wager up to $60 billion on the tournament. But new research suggests that, for some Americans, increased sports betting may come at the expense of basic household needs, including groceries.
New research links betting to food struggles
A June 2026 study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, or NBER, found a correlation between legalized sports betting and declining food sufficiency in the United States. According to news released by NBER, the report analyzed data collected between 2021 and 2023, a period during which many states expanded legal sports betting markets.
The paper, titled “Wagering the Bread Money: Sports Betting Legalization and Food Sufficiency,” used data from the Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, state gaming regulators and Google search trends.
Food sufficiency measures whether households consistently have enough food to eat. According to the NBER report, legalized sports betting was associated with a 2.1% decline in food sufficiency among working-age adults without college degrees. Among active sports bettors, the decline reached 10.5%.
Researchers also found that the impact appeared strongest during NFL seasons, when betting activity tends to increase. According to the paper, legalization in nine states coincided with roughly 284,000 additional food-insecure households annually.
The authors cautioned that the findings show correlation, not direct causation. Still, they wrote that gambling losses may reduce household financial stability and limit resources available for necessities such as food.
Sports betting expansion continues across the US
The effects appeared most significant among adults ages 25 to 44, a demographic commonly associated with higher sports betting participation.
Sports betting in the US has expanded rapidly since the Supreme Court struck down the federal ban in 2018, allowing states to legalize wagering individually. According to the American Gaming Association, 39 states and Washington, D.C., now allow sports betting in some form.
Many states have embraced legalization because of the tax revenue generated by sportsbooks. According to multiple industry reports published in 2026, New York remains the nation’s leading sports betting tax revenue producer, followed by Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
At the same time, concerns over the financial consequences of mobile betting continue to grow. According to previous NBER research published in 2024, legalized sports betting was associated with lower savings rates, increased credit card debt and more frequent overdrafts among vulnerable consumers.
Additional surveys have reached similar conclusions. According to a 2025 US News survey, one in four sports bettors reported missing bill payments because of gambling losses, while roughly 30% said they had accumulated gambling-related debt.
Researchers warn of financial and mental strain
Les Bernal, national director of Stop Predatory Gambling, said the latest NBER findings support concerns his organization has raised for years about household affordability and financial distress linked to gambling expansion.
“The spread of commercialized sports gambling has helped turn a nation of small earners who could be small savers into a nation of habitual bettors,” Bernal said in a news post by MarketWatch.
The NBER report also examined the mental health effects associated with gambling-related financial stress. According to the study, problem gambling is frequently linked to anxiety, depression and emotional distress. Researchers estimated that the expansion of legalized sports betting corresponded with approximately $130.2 million in excess annual health care spending.
The authors wrote that mental health challenges tied to gambling problems may negatively affect employment performance and earnings, further reducing financial resources available for essentials such as food.
Sportsbooks expand responsible gambling safeguards
Researchers acknowledged several limitations in the study. The analysis overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic, rising inflation and changes to SNAP benefits, all of which may also have contributed to financial hardship during the study period. Researchers also noted that some findings relied on self-reported survey data, which may contain inaccuracies.
Meanwhile, the legal sports betting industry continues emphasizing responsible gambling initiatives. Operators, including FanDuel and DraftKings, offer tools such as deposit limits, time restrictions and self-exclusion programs designed to help users manage betting activity responsibly.
As betting activity is expected to surge during the World Cup, researchers and industry leaders alike continue debating whether the economic benefits of legalization outweigh the potential social and financial costs.
