Bettors in Massachusetts quickly noticing negative impacts
Published:
Oct 20, 2025
,
05:29 p.m.
ET
Two years after Massachusetts legalized sports betting, worrying signs are emerging. A new survey from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, funded by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, found that a growing share of residents who gamble regularly now identify as having gambling problems and report significant harms to relationships and finances.
The study comes at a pivotal moment, as state lawmakers weigh whether to curb sports betting with tighter restrictions, potentially including around VIP programs, or expand gambling by legalizing online casinos. For those who once welcomed sports betting as harmless entertainment, the reality has become far more complicated.
Findings from UMass study of gamblers in MA
Funded by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, this study conducted by UMass Amherst surveyed 3,000+ self-enrolled residents in the fall of 2024, with results focusing on the roughly 56% who reported gambling at least once a month. The findings are not a perfect cross-section of the entire state but the sharp increases in both gambling activity and negative consequences that are highlighted are highly relevant.
According to the Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA) research team, the average monthly gambling spend among regular players more than doubled, rising to $2,280.
The share of monthly gamblers experiencing gambling problems climbed from 20.9% in 2022, to 25.6% in 2023, to 28% in fall 2024.
Reports of relationship hardship nearly doubled, from 13.9% in 2022 to 27.2% in 2024.
A majority of regular gamblers (56%) now say the harms outweigh the benefits.
Lead researcher Rachel Volberg, a professor of public health at UMass, said the data should serve as an early warning system, and she told the commission that education and harm-reduction strategies that specifically address sports bettors are needed.
Harms outweigh the benefits
When Massachusetts voted to legalize sports betting in 2022, and then go live with it in March of 2023 on phone apps and in casinos, proponents highlighted tax revenue and increased visibility into an activity that previously thrived in the shadows. But many regular bettors now see more downside than upside.
The majority of survey participants agreed gambling causes more harm than benefit. For some, the financial consequences are obvious. Nearly one-quarter reported missing bill payments because of betting losses. Others described escalating credit card balances or payday loans taken out to cover gambling debts.
Jack Kelley, a 26-year-old from Grafton, explained that the thrill of prop bets quickly turned into regret: “I just left a ton of money on the table for no reason other than I wanted to keep gambling.”
Impacts on mental health, relationships
More than one in four monthly gamblers said betting had damaged a close personal relationship. Experts warn constant access to mobile betting apps can amplify ripple effect risks on mental well-being and family dynamics. Unlike trips to a casino, which are limited by time and travel, sports betting platforms make gambling possible anytime and anywhere. That level of availability can accelerate co-occurring conditions like anxiety, depression and financial stress.
Kelley’s story exemplifies the rollercoaster emotional toll: excitement at first, followed by anxiety when losses piled up, and eventually a recognition that habits were slipping into unhealthy patterns.
Increases in Problem Gambling behaviors
Regular players reported more time spent betting online and less time in traditional “social betting” settings with friends. The SEIGMA team found multiple indicators of worsening gambling behavior in the Commonwealth.
These findings align with national data showing that online sports betting has fueled higher risks of gambling disorder, especially in men under 35:
Public response
The findings have sparked debate across The Bay State. Some argue for stronger regulation, while others point to expansion as inevitable.
State Senator John Keenan is pushing the “Bettor Health Act,” which would ban certain prop bets, raise taxes on sportsbooks and restrict gambling ads during televised games. “Sports betting has accelerated our gambling problem,” he warned.
Others, like Senator Paul Feeney, advocate legalizing online casino games, arguing that residents already have access to unregulated, predatory iGaming sites. His proposal would bring them under state oversight and taxation.
Meanwhile, ordinary bettors like Worcester resident Mike Murray are caught in the middle. Murray enjoys the excitement of hitting a prop bet at a bar, likes that random games are now more entertaining and that folks don’t have to gamble in the shadows anymore. However, he advocated for regulation around gambling advertising and feels strongly that “iGaming feels ripe for abuse.”
MA also considering legalization of online casinos
The debate around problem gambling comes just as Massachusetts weighs whether to add iGaming (online casinos) to its legal gambling landscape.
Proposals in both the House and Senate would allow existing casinos to operate digital platforms. Advocates argue iGaming could bring in substantial new revenue, pointing to Michigan’s $260 million in monthly receipts.
But opponents warn that 24/7 access to slots and blackjack would compound the problems already seen with sports betting. As Senator Keenan put it, “To go any further would just be to throw gasoline on an already growing fire.”
Gambling Addiction treatment in Massachusetts
On July 1, 2025, the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health launched a new telehealth peer support program in partnership with Birches Health and Betknowmore UK (MACGH announcement).
Through the Gambling Recovery Information Network (GRIN), trained peer specialists with lived experience provide confidential, virtual support to anyone struggling with gambling in the Commonwealth. This groundbreaking initiative delivers statewide access to care, even for those outside Boston or other urban centers.
Birches Health complements peer support with expert, evidence-based individual counseling. Licensed clinicians who specialize in treating gambling addiction, sports betting problems and related compulsive behaviors like day trading are available to help MA residents on the path to recovery..
If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, sports betting or related financial distress, specialized help is available.
Take the first step toward recovery with Birches Health today:
