More MA Residents Sought Gambling Addiction Help In 2023: DPH

MASSACHUSETTS — The number of calls made to the state’s gambling addiction support line more than doubled in fiscal year 2023 compared to 2022, a period that also saw the legalization of sports betting in Massachusetts.

Just over 3,000 people called the gambling line in fiscal 2023, according to the Department of Public Health, compared to just under 1,400 in fiscal 2022. The helpline saw a 56 percent increase in male callers, and a 293 percent increase in callers between age 30 and 39, from 43 in 2022 to 169 in 2023.

But health officials cautioned that the increase in calls may not be due to more people struggling with gambling addiction, but an increase in public awareness about the helpline. The Office of Problem Gambling Service has been stepping up awareness campaigns targeted to at-risk groups like young people and men of color. OPGS established the helpline in 2016.

“Expanded access to gambling in the Commonwealth poses risks, particularly to those in recovery, and highlights the need to provide responsive referrals to callers based on their needs,” Director of the Office of Problem Gambling Services Victor Ortiz said in a news release. “The OPGS is committed to monitoring the ongoing impacts of sports wagering and expanded access to gambling on individuals, families, and communities in the Commonwealth.”

Legal gambling is more accessible in Massachusetts now than any other time. Sports betting became legal in 2023, allowing residents to place bets through services like Fan Duel and DraftKings online and through smartphone apps. Within the last decade, two resort-casinos opened in Everett and Springfield following law changes in 2011.

Massachusetts has a long gambling history. A statewide lottery drawing began in 1971, and Massachusetts in 1974 became the first state to offer scratch tickets. A 2022 study by LendingTree found that Bay State residents spend the most per-capita on scratch tickets of any state.

Residents can reach the Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline by calling (800) 327-5050. The line is open to gamblers who need help, but also family members seeking help.