The Pennsylvania Interactive Gaming Assessment, created by Penn State University, reported that there was a big increase in the number of people participating in online gambling last year. The report showed that 16% of adults in Pennsylvania participate in online gambling, which is an increase from 11.1% in 2022. Revenue and problem gambling statistics have increased over the past year due to more people participating.
Significant Rise in Online Gambling
The number of people participating in online gambling in Pennsylvania remained stable in 2021 and 2022. In those years, the Pennsylvania Interactive Gaming Assessment found that 11% and 11.1% of adults in Pennsylvania took part in online gambling.
The percentage has increased to 16%, which resulted in the state earning $5.51 billion in gaming revenue for the fiscal year 2022/2023. The press release states that there are additional findings in the report:
- People who gamble both in physical locations (such as stores) and online, gamble once a week. On the other hand, people who only gamble in physical locations play two to three times per month.
- People who gamble both online and offline spend approximately 15 hours per month gambling, while those who only gamble offline spend about 1.5 hours per month gambling.
- The average monthly gambling expenses were higher for dual-mode gamblers at $708 compared to offline gamblers at $103.
- Around 25% of people who gamble in both online and offline modes make less than $50,000 per year. These individuals participate in the most types of gambling activities.
- The typical age of dual-mode gamblers was 37. Most of them had completed a bachelor’s degree and were currently employed.
- Online sports betting was the most popular form of gambling on the internet.
The lead author of the report is Glenn Sterner, who is an assistant professor of criminal justice at Penn State Abington. He said:
“As we see increased revenue and advertising for online gambling, this report serves as a way for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to understand the potential impacts on individuals, families, and communities.”
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Even though the revenue is at an all-time high, more people in Pennsylvania are struggling with gambling addictions. In 2022, around 36.7% of people who gamble online acknowledged having at least one issue related to gambling. The percentage in the 2023 report increased to 40.7%.
However, 50.7% of the people who gamble both online and offline said they have experienced at least one problem related to gambling. People who gamble in person had the least amount of gambling problems. Only 16.4% of them admitted to having at least one issue.
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is focused on preventing and treating problem gambling in the state. Dr. Latika Davis-Jones, the Secretary of DDAP, stated:
“Being aware of the current online gambling trends in Pennsylvania will help DDAP in its mission to assess and address how gambling behaviors impact compulsive and problem gambling within the Commonwealth. It will also help us to spread awareness that treatment and resources, like the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline, are there when someone needs help.”
In Pennsylvania, there are resources available to assist gamblers in overcoming their addictions. These resources include treatment options and tools. The study found that 75% of people who gamble online and 81.4% of people who gamble offline were able to successfully treat their problem gambling. However, 57.8% of people who gamble on multiple platforms reported that their treatment was successful.
Pennsylvania has made significant progress in the gambling industry by introducing online casinos, sports betting, and poker. However, there is still much progress to be made in providing effective treatment for individuals struggling with addiction in the future.
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