A Kansas gambling addiction survey taken in 2025 produced concerning results about the rise in problem gambling in the state.
The survey of 1,645 Kansas residents found that 34.2% of people had bet in some form in the prior month. Just 19.1% had done so in the 2017 version of the survey, which was the last time it had been conducted.
Over 70% of Kansas adults had bet at some point in 2025.
All gamblers are at some level of risk of developing a gambling problem. Kansas looked at the three levels of “risk” for addiction. The survey found that the number of Kansans at moderate or high risk for problem gambling has nearly tripled since 2017.
The percentage of low-risk gamblers correspondingly plummeted.
Here are the percentages of respondents in each risk category, 2017 vs. 2025.
|
Risk Level |
2017 (%) |
2025 (%) |
Change (%) |
| Low Risk | 84.4 | 58.7 | -25.7 |
| Moderate Risk | 11.6 | 21.4 | 9.8 |
| High Risk | 4.0 | 20.0 | 16.0 |
An alarming 62% of high-risk Kansas gamblers reported that their gambling caused mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, and loneliness. Over half had to seek financial assistance due to their betting habits.
Kansas High-Risk Gambling Addiction Dangers
The survey found that Kansans in the high-risk category are:
- 4 times more likely to have depression
- 5 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts
- 9 times more likely to make suicide plans
- 50 times more likely to make a suicide attempt
That’s compared to gamblers in the low-risk gambling category.
Among those at high risk, 63% indicated their depression was linked to gambling. Over half of the high-risk category reported health, relationship, and financial problems because of gambling.
The Kansas population is increasingly at risk as the belief in gambling myths grows. To make matters worse, at 2025 Kansas sports betting informational hearing, a betting industry group normalized OCD and betting.
KS Gambling Expansion
Widespread accessibility and normalization of betting have led to more Kansas gambling addiction.
The 2007 Kansas Expanded Lottery Act permitted four casinos in designated gambling zones — the most recent of which opened in 2018.
Since then, gambling has expanded to include online and in-person sports betting (2022), historical horse racing machines (2023), and online lottery gambling products (2025).
The leading players in Kansas’ online sports betting market include DraftKings and FanDuel. While sports betting isn’t the most common form of gambling, it’s among the most addictive.
Kansans can also suffer harm from offshore online casinos/sportsbooks, sweepstakes/social casinos like Stake and NFL Super Bowl Slots, and prediction gambling sites like Kalshi/Polymarket.
Between more state-sanctioned gambling and the growth of black/grey market gambling, it has never been easier for people in the U.S., including Kansas, to gamble.
How to Help Kansas Gambling Addiction Crisis
The study made recommendations in five areas to prevent further harm.
- Support and Enhance Problem Gambling Prevention Messaging
- Improve State-Funded Treatment
- Promote Early Identification and Screening
- Monitor and Regulate Gambling Advertising
- Continue Data Monitoring and Regional Analysis
The survey had some positive findings.
More than 30% of respondents reported being aware of local treatment options, an increase from 20.9% in 2017.
Kansas gambling addiction stigma could be weakening, with fewer people reporting they would turn to “no one” (4.4%) for help, down from 6.6% in 2017.
About 94% of people in the high-risk category acknowledged they had a gambling problem.
Kansas Gambling Survey Methodology
- Online survey
- Dates: April 22 – May 20, 2025
- Purchased panel
- Languages: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali
- +/- 2.4% margin of error at 95% confidence level
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