Can poker be hard on the mental health of its players? One of the world’s leading experts on gambling appears to think so.
Michael “Roxy” Roxborough is considered a pioneer of sports betting in Las Vegas, which had a virtual monopoly on legal sports gambling until 2018.
Roxborough, a member of the Sports Betting Hall of Fame, spent decades in the gambling industry as an oddsmaker and businessman before his retirement. Despite the accolades, the 74-year-old said recently that gambling has been a mixed bag for him.
In particular, he suggested that he has some regrets about his time spent playing poker.
“I know I am not a better person for gambling despite having a successful career in the racket,” Roxborough posted on X on May 16. “It wasn’t until I retired that I could have a long-lasting relationship. Above all, poker was the biggest detriment to happiness: a time black hole and mood changer.”
Roxborough declined further elaboration of his comments when contacted by Gambling Harm.
His candid comments are of immense value to the public in an era of growing gambling addiction in the United States.
Poker Mental Health Problems
Unlike sports betting, poker isn’t a house-banked game. There is real skill involved with poker, but realizing any edge you might have requires a huge time investment at the poker table.
That’s what Roxborough might have been referring to, at least in part, with his “time black hole” remark.
Poker is like every other gambling game in that you sometimes run hot and sometimes you run cold. The swings can be particularly unnerving in no-limit hold’em, where you can lose all your chips in any given hand.
The randomness of poker can temporarily push any skill you may have to the back seat. It’s important to note that many losing poker players believe they have an edge in the game.
Countless poker players over the years and decades have described the emotional roller coaster. A great many have gone on “tilt” and chased losses.
While poker can be social and enjoyable in moderation, it’s safe to say many people would agree with Roxborough that poker can be a “detriment to happiness.”
You should take a break from poker if it starts to make you unhappy. Quitting entirely should also be considered.
State of U.S. Online Poker
More than 30 U.S. states have sanctioned online sports betting, but fewer have sanctioned online poker.
As of May 2025, eight states have legalized online poker, including Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Several of these states are part of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), which enables shared player pools across state lines to boost gambling.
As of mid-2025, Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania were active members of the online poker agreement.
At the time of writing, Ohio was considering a bill to allow online poker.
Addiction concerns are one reason for fewer states sanctioning online casino gambling (including poker) than sports betting.
However, research has shown that sports betting is among the most addictive forms of gambling.
The addiction risks of poker and sports betting are comparable, with the personal risk depending on the person.
Some studies have shown that certain personality types are more vulnerable to problems with games like poker than games with no skill component.
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