Former US Surgeon General Warns Sports Betting Expansion Mirrors Opioid Crisis Harms
TL;DR — Ex-US Surgeon General Jerome Adams calls sports betting the new opioid crisis, citing 25x wagering growth from $6.6B in 2018 to $165B in 2025. Rutgers data shows 28% suicidal ideation and 20% attempts among problem gamblers; FBI cites 12-92% ideation ranges. The warning flags youth exposure and mental health risks.
SCCG Take — The high-profile alert will likely intensify calls for tighter youth safeguards and addiction screening, raising compliance exposure for operators and state regulators.
Former US Surgeon General Jerome Adams has declared that the proliferation of sports betting risks creating harms on the scale of the opioid crisis.
Jerome Adams, who served as Surgeon General of the United States between September 2017 and January 2021, has warned that the rapid expansion of regulated sports betting could be on track to develop into a more serious problem than anyone expected, and specifically, become an event akin to the “opioid crisis.” Adams believes that the time to describe it as such has arrived: “Sports betting is the new opioid crisis. Our kids, especially our boys, are getting exposed and hooked early. And it’s ruining lives as surely as turning a blind eye to prescription opioids did.”
Adams made the remarks while citing a post by Charlie Bilello. That post detailed a 25x increase in amounts wagered on sports in the United States over seven years, rising from $6.6 billion in 2018 to $165 billion in 2025. Adams added that gambling addiction is the form of addiction most likely to lead to suicidal thoughts and actual suicide.
Suicidal Ideation High Among Problem Gamblers
A 2024 Rutgers University study found that 28% of problem gamblers experience suicidal ideation and 20% make a suicide attempt. The same research noted an increase in suicide attempts among young males aged 15-34 as sports gambling grew more popular, amounting to roughly two additional attempts per 100,000 individuals.
Adams has not expanded on the precise parallels to the opioid crisis. Exact figures on gambling-related suicidal ideation remain subject to variation across studies. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports ranges of 12% to 92% for suicidal ideation and 4% to 40% for suicide attempts among problem gamblers in law enforcement. These discrepancies mark a clear limitation in the data Adams referenced.
As reported by GamblingNews, the comments reflect one side of the mixed responses to regulated sports betting’s spread across the country.
Reporting: GamblingNews
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
A former Surgeon General's opioid-crisis comparison will amplify regulatory and reputational pressure on operators — compliance just became brand defense.
We've partnered across 545 deals in every regulated market, and I'll tell you straight: when a Surgeon General invokes the opioid crisis, state houses listen. This isn't just a policy flare-up — it's a mandate for operators to lead on responsible gaming or face the consequences in licensing, sponsorship, and public trust.
- US sports betting handle jumped 25x — from $6.6B (2018) to $165B (2025)
- Rutgers: 28% of problem gamblers report suicidal ideation; 20% attempt suicide
- Youth exposure and mental health now top regulatory and reputational flashpoints
SCCG angle: SCCG connects operators to best-in-class responsible gaming tech, clinical partners, and policy advisors who can harden compliance posture and build proactive narratives before the next hearing. We've seen this movie before — get ahead or get dragged.
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