College students’ classification of fantasy sports and loot boxes relates to problem gambling risk was examined. Among 4,016 students, 8.7% participated in fantasy sports and 21.7% in loot boxes. Controlling for demographics and gambling breadth, fantasy sports participants who did not view it as gambling had significantly lower problem gambling risk (OR=0.29). For loot boxes, those who classified it as gambling showed elevated risk regardless of participation (participants OR=2.74; non-participants OR=1.82). Findings have implications for understanding risk factors in emerging gambling forms and developing education approaches for different activity types.
Tennessee, lacking commercial casinos, sees its urban centers—Nashville and Memphis—shaped by online sports betting and proximity to out-of-state casinos. Nashville, a growing entertainment hub, contrasts with Memphis, where nearby casinos like Southland and Tunica are easily accessible. Nashville residents face longer commutes to racinos like Kentucky Downs. This poster presents a public health framework for examining how cross-border gambling, online betting, and urban vulnerabilities intersect with tourism and resident behavior. It explores gambling-related distress, vulnerabilities, gaps in prevention and treatment, and the need for tailored strategies in Tennessee’s unique non-casino context, informing future research and policy development.
This study aims to provide new insights into gambling behaviors and their financial impacts during the 2023–2024 period. It examines how gambling activity varies across sociodemographic groups, explores the relationship between gambling engagement and financial health, identifies subgroups of gamblers based on behavioral patterns, and tracks changes within these subgroups over time. The analysis is being conducted using an anonymized open banking dataset from the United Kingdom, encompassing over 1.8 million users.
In 2025, after years of 100% participation in the Gift Responsibly Campaign by US and Canadian lotteries, NCPG added a new campaign option for participants. “Too Young to Bet” was created to address underage gambling in its entirety, highlighting the risks of all forms of gambling youth may encounter. This poster presentation will discuss key aspects of the 2025 “Too Young to Bet” campaign, including a record-breaking increase in campaign participation, the growing demand for youth-focused awareness materials, and insights into the creation of awareness messaging that can be used year-round.
In 2025, the National Problem Gambling Helpline™ responded to more than 377,000 contacts across calls, chats, and texts, revealing a changing landscape of gambling and help-seeking in the United States. Younger and more diverse populations are reaching out for help, while online gambling and sports betting continue to expand. Contacts are lasting longer and reflecting more complex needs, particularly related to financial stress and mental health. This poster shares key demographic, behavioral, and operational trends, and highlights opportunities to strengthen helpline services, improve data quality, and better support individuals experiencing gambling-related harm.
Identifying the characteristics of at-risk youth gamblers is essential for prevention and early intervention and primary prevention programs show promise to reduce risk. For youth already experiencing gambling problems, alternative approaches to early intervention may be warranted. Using data from the Minnesota Student Survey (2025) a large statewide population-based sample of 8th, 9th and 11th graders assessing gambling and mental health concerns. Dr. King will provide recommendations for adolescent screening and prevention of problem gambling. A novel and nuanced approach to supplement, support, and improve prevention and early intervention programs for treatment providers is discussed.
