According to a report from Penn State University, gambling participation continued to rise in Pennsylvania during 2023.
This report looks at three years of survey data from more than 1,800 individuals from across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and was developed by Penn State’s Criminal Justice Research Center, under contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP).
Within the study, it shows that online gambling participation increased to 16% in 2023, after it was around the 11% mark in both 2021 and 2022.
It also showed that 64.8% of the adult population in Pennsylvania engaged in some form of gambling, with 48.7% having gambled exclusively offline. Sports betting was the most popular form of gambling engaged in online, while lottery was the most popular format for individuals to engage in offline.
Research also found that approximately half of Pennslyvania’s online gamblers reported problems with gambling.
Penn State Abington Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Glenn Sterner said: “As we see increased revenue and advertising for online gambling, this report serves as a way for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to understand the potential impacts on individuals, families and communities.
“We remain committed to monitoring problem gambling and other issues that may result from greater access to online gambling.”
DDAP Secretary Latika Davis-Jones added: “Being aware of the current online gambling trends in Pennsylvania will help DDAP in its mission to assess and address how gambling behaviors impact compulsive and problem gambling within the Commonwealth.
“It will also help us to spread awareness that treatment and resources, like the 1-800-Gambler helpline, are there when someone needs help.”
