More than half of U.S. adults gamble monthly, new report reveals

• The Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University released a new study that looked into more than a dozen gambling activities and how U.S. adults engage with them
• Overall, 55% of the respondents admitted to gambling monthly, while financial gain and entertainment were cited as primary motivators
• While a majority of the gamblers agree they would lose in the long term, a false sense of optimism is identified when they are asked personally about their own chances of winning

The expansion of legal sports betting across the United States introduced millions of Americans to an engaging form of gambling.

Now, a new study looks into various forms of gambling activities across the country, examining the impact they have on consumers.

55% of respondents gamble monthly, 1 in 8 gamble every day

The report, "Gambling With Our Future," by the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University includes an analysis of the responses of a nationwide survey including 2,548 U.S. adults.

The survey sought to examine not only how Americans gamble, but what their motivation is, how such activities impact their well-being and what they believe about their chances of winning, among other things.

This new report analyzed 16 gambling activities, including but not limited to casino, lottery tickets, mobile sports betting, prediction markets, as well as charity raffles.

The study points to the popularity of mobile sports betting and powerful advertising campaigns that made gambling more accessible and less stigmatized.

Notably, the report uncovered that two major reasons behind Americans’ gambling activities are making money and entertainment.

The study found that overall, 55% of the respondents gamble at least once a month, while roughly one in eight admitted to gambling every day.

Among young men, regular monthly engagement is higher at 63% admitting to participating in gambling, compared to 48% of women.

Approximately four out of ten respondents admitted to engaging in gambling to make money.

A breakdown shows that 53% of adults between the ages of 18 and 29 favored making money as a primary motivation for gambling compared to 50% who said they are motivated by entertainment.

Within the next age group, age 30 and over, 51% claimed entertainment as a major motivator compared to 37% who admitted gambling for a financial gain.

The younger group of adults, ages 18 and 29, are more likely to frequently engage in gambling, the new study found.

Close to six out of ten men, or 59% of the young adults, reported gambling at least a few times a week, compared to only 34% of women within the same age group.

The percentage of men who frequently gamble per week in the age group of 30 and older decreases to 33% and only 20% of women.

Betting is mostly popular among young men

Per the report from the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University, mobile sports betting proves to be especially popular among young men.

Some 67% of the men in the age group between 18 and 29 reported betting at least once in the past year compared to 41% of young women.

Interestingly, an overwhelming majority of the participants, or eight out of ten people, agreed that most gamblers will lose money over time.

However, when the question is phrased with a personal note and participants are asked about their own chances of winning, the report highlighted a "false sense of optimism," considering that half of the gamblers believed that if they gamble for a single hour, they will either win money or at least break even.

Paul Lambert, co-author of the new report and a Religion Initiative Director at the Wheatley Institute, spoke about the new report, saying: "Gambling is not a niche activity. For many Americans, it has now become a routine part of life, available anytime on their computer or a phone app."

"The consequences can reach well beyond the person placing the bet, affecting family members, friends, and others who may never gamble themselves. It also undermines social trust and connection that is so important to flourishing societies," Lambert said in conclusion.

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