Trade Group Says Checking Betting App 10 Times A Day Is Normal

How often do sports bettors open their betting app to check their bets? Apparently, 10 or more times in a day is considered normal, according to a betting trade group.

At a September 2025 sports betting hearing in Kansas, a lawyer representing the Sports Betting Alliance was explaining geolocation requirements for betting apps.

While the point of the SBA’s remarks was about how sportsbooks must pay the costs of geolocation services, it was revealing to hear what the industry sees as a normal number of times to open a betting app in a single day.

FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Bet365, and Fanatics back the SBA.

Here’s what the SBA representative said:

“I think I am probably a typical bettor. On an NFL Sunday, I might check my app, see what the lines are, decide what kind of bets I want to make for the day. I might put it away, come back to it. I might make some bets. Over the course of the day, I’m going to check that app five, six, seven, eight times to see how my bets are doing. If I’ve bet an over on Patrick Mahomes’ passing yards, where is he at? Have I hit my numbers or not? So, I might check that app, like I said, 10 times in a given day.”

The Kansas sports betting hearing was a bruising one for the industry. Addiction experts in Kansas testified that problem gambling has soared, alongside more widespread belief in common gambling-related myths that can lead to harm.

Compulsive Checking of Betting Apps

Some people can partake in online sports betting without harm. Gambling Harm makes no judgment or evaluation of the aforementioned individual’s relationship with sports betting. Checking a betting app 10 times a day does not alone mean a person has a gambling problem or any other mental health issue.

That said, the SBA’s comments hit on the important and often under-discussed sports betting topic of compulsive app checking, which can be a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Many types of mobile apps are designed to be habit-forming, including gambling apps. One example of a habit-forming mechanism is the push notification, which many sports betting platforms utilize.

There has been extensive research on the link between OCD and gambling addiction. 

OCD and gambling addiction are similar in terms of intrusive urges, which are often acted upon despite harm to the individual and/or the people around them.

Gambling disorder, according to the DSM-5, involves, among other criteria, a preoccupation with gambling, inability to stop gambling, and restlessness when not gambling.

For sports betting, the compulsive habits might be an uncontrollable urge to place wagers, check odds, and monitor the results of those bets. This is one reason why win-loss tracking tools inside sports betting apps might be ineffective for some people.

Compulsive checking can help explain why half of online sports bettors chase losses, according to betting addiction statistics.

OCD and Gambling: How to Get Help

The betting industry has the sole objective to grow over time. That is what industries do.

While the industry champions its concept of sustainability through the risky messaging of “responsible gambling,” don’t buy into what it considers normal betting behavior.

OCD and gambling addiction are serious mental health issues that warrant treatment.

They can have similar treatment in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and peer support groups. A medical professional may also prescribe medication.

Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-522-4700 for help and resources.

Gambling addiction can be dangerous, as it carries high rates of suicide. Seek help today if you are struggling with your relationship with any form of gambling.