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More people are receiving treatment for depression and anxiety in states that legalized online sports betting.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University reviewed health insurance records from 2016 to 2023, comparing states with and without legalized sports betting.

After legalization, prescriptions for antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications rose by roughly 5% among adults 18 to 64 with employer-sponsored health insurance. Outpatient diagnoses of depression and anxiety also increased by about 5% to 7%, according to the results.

Danielle Piatkowsky, a licensed social worker from Northwell Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, New York, who was not part of the study, says the problems associated with gambling affect mental health in ways that go beyond finances.

"There is also significant impact that problem gambling has on many areas of an individual's life, their family relationships, their social relationships and their work or school performance," she said.

The study doesn't prove that legalized sports betting caused the increase, but the authors warn it may be putting added strain on the mental health system.

Piatkowsky urges anyone struggling with gambling addiction to seek professional help. She says the consequences reach loved ones, too.

"The biggest thing is that problem gambling is really a public health issue," she said.

Online sports betting is now legal in 31 states and Washington, D.C.

, Online Sports Betting Legalization and Behavioral Health Care Use, JAMA Psychiatry (2026).

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