UNH Study Connects Online Sports Betting Legalization to 23 Percent Helpline Call Increase

A University of New Hampshire study has tied the legalization of online sports betting to a 23% spike in calls to the National Problem Gambling Helpline. The research identifies this rise with the shift to mobile and app-based platforms that increase accessibility.

According to reporting by GamblingNews, the study reviewed helpline data and found that half of callers were aged 18 to 34. It also recorded a 31% increase in preference for online and app-based gambling as traditional forms declined. 70% of all callers were men, with the data showing unmarried, younger and less-educated men faced elevated risks of developing unhealthy habits. The analysis further noted a 3.1% increase in suicide rates attributable to problem gambling.

Gorkem Turgut Ozer, assistant professor of decision sciences at UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics and lead author, said: “Our key finding highlights a divide: the negative consequences manifest primarily when the activity shifts online. The widespread accessibility of mobile gambling coincided with a measurable uptick in problem gambling hotline calls and elevated suicide rates.”

Demographic Vulnerabilities and Platform Business Models

The study determined that gambling generally carries greater potential for harm, but the advance of online options has exacerbated the issue. Ozer highlighted how sports betting platforms pursue “sustained participation.” He added: “Integrating real-time feedback loops with unrestricted betting access creates an environment with a lower threshold for potential compulsive behavior.”

This environment raises specific risks for the identified high-risk groups. The downstream harm requires attention whether through better provider training, expanded mental health resources or targeted outreach. The data presents a limitation: while correlation with online access is clear, isolating every contributing factor remains complex given the multiple variables in caller profiles.

Steps Needed to Counter Rising Harm

Ozer emphasized that policymakers are not the only parties who should respond. University leaders must also act on the evidence. As Ozer added: “university leaders need to recognize these specific risk conditions and use empirical evidence to shape campus policies, digital guidelines, and student support programs.”

The findings signal that prevention efforts must adapt to how online availability alters behavior patterns. Operators, regulators and educational institutions face pressure to translate this data into measures that address the documented increases in calls, demographic concentrations and associated harms before further expansion widens the gap.