Gambling addiction in the United States has escalated into a full-blown crisis that demands a public health response, according to activists and experts. Harry Levant, director of gambling policy at the Public Health Advocacy Institute, stated, 'The harm that is taking place to people, young men, families, people of all ages, it is simply out of control.'
Rapid Expansion of Online Gambling
Levant highlighted the rapid expansion of online gambling markets and platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi, which have surged in popularity. A study by Siena College Research Institute and St. Bonaventure University found that 48% of men aged 18 to 49 held an account with at least one sports betting platform.
Call for Regulation
Levant argued that gambling should be treated like other addictive substances, such as alcohol or drugs. 'You regulate the distribution, the speed, the type, the access to the product, because the product is what’s dangerous,' he said. 'The problem is the product, not the people. We have a crisis here.'
Global experts convened in Boston for a conference to address the issue and advocate for stronger regulation. Levant clarified that the event was 'not an anti-gambling conference' but 'a pro-public health symposium with real solutions.' He emphasized the need to demonstrate to Americans and political leaders that 'the cause of the problem is the unregulated nature of a dangerously and effectively designed online gambling product.'
Post-2018 Landscape
The surge in online gambling follows the Supreme Court's 2018 decision to lift the federal sports betting ban. Since then, sports betting has been legalized in 39 states and Washington, D.C. Prediction market sites, where users can bet on events ranging from sports to geopolitics, have also exploded, partly driven by Donald Trump's involvement overseas. During Super Bowl Sunday, over $1 billion was traded on Kalshi alone.
