Arizona Department of Gaming Report Uncovers Gaps in Problem Gambling Screening and Awareness
TL;DR — Arizona’s latest survey shows 84% adult gambling participation in 2025, with weekly rates up 22% to 30% and online sports wagering at 22%. Healthcare screening for gambling lags at 7.6% versus 47.2% for substance use and 55.4% for mental health. The report flags low self-exclusion awareness and recommends integrated screening plus sustained prevention investment.
SCCG Take — This represents an inflection point for embedding gambling screening into routine care, leveraging the 20% budget increase. Client-partners should view it as a prompt to align operations with Arizona’s maturing public health approach to harm reduction.
The Arizona Department of Gaming has released new survey data showing increased gambling frequency across the state alongside specific opportunities to strengthen harm reduction. The report, a three-year follow-up to the 2023 survey conducted by Problem Gambling Solutions, found 84% of Arizona adults gambled during 2025. Nearly one in five indicated moderate to high risk for gambling-related harm, with about 4% potentially classified with a gambling disorder.
Weekly gambling rose from 25% to 30%, a 22% increase. Participation in sports wagering and cryptocurrency-related activities each rose over 20% from 2023, while 22% of Arizonans reported online or app-based sports wagering. According to reporting by Gambling Insider, the survey also flagged low awareness of voluntary self-exclusion programs and problem gambling services.
Persistent Gaps in Identification and Support
Only 7.6% of the 1,047 respondents reported being screened for gambling during healthcare visits. This stands in contrast to 47.2% screened for alcohol or substance use and 55.4% for mental health. Elise Mikkelsen, director of the Arizona Department of Gaming’s Division of Problem Gambling, noted this disparity represents an opportunity for routine screening as an early intervention.
Suzanne Trainor, the division’s public information officer, described the gap as “eye-opening.” She said Arizonans “far and wide are reporting that they’re not being asked” and pointed to co-occurring behavioral health issues as a reason to explore integrations with primary care and behavioral health centers. Awareness of casino voluntary self-exclusion stood at 19%, while sportsbook self-exclusion was at 15%. Fewer than half knew how to get help for a gambling problem, with measures of service availability and effectiveness showing slight declines.
Positive notes included a 40% increase in awareness of the 1-800-NEXT-STEP helpline and growing support for state leadership on the issue. The Arizona Department of Gaming recently secured a 20% increase in expenditure authority for problem gambling efforts.
The Screening Imperative for Arizona Regulators
After decades observing how states respond to gaming market maturation, this report marks a structural shift toward treating gambling harm through a public health framework. The data underscores the need to close the identification gap in healthcare settings before risks compound. With Arizona approaching five years since sports betting launched, the added resources and targeted recommendations offer a practical path to translate survey findings into measurable prevention gains for operators, providers, and the state.
Reporting: Arizona Department of Gaming Identifies Opportunities to Address Gambling-Related Harm (www.gamblinginsider.com)
Arizona's screening gap is a regulatory wake-up call: harm reduction must embed in healthcare, not stay siloed in gaming.
We've guided operators and regulators through every major market opening. Arizona's data proves what we've been saying: public health integration isn't optional anymore—it's the new license to operate. That 20% budget bump signals Arizona's getting serious, and operators need to move before mandates do.
- Weekly gambling jumped 22% to 30%; online sports wagering now at 22% participation
- Healthcare screens gambling at 7.6% vs 47% for substance use—a glaring disparity
- Self-exclusion awareness under 20%; only half know where to get help
SCCG angle: SCCG connects operators to the responsible gaming tech, healthcare integration partners, and regulatory strategists who turn these recommendations into compliant infrastructure before Arizona mandates it. We've done this in every mature market—let's get ahead of the curve together.