Problem gambling involving online sports betting appears to have reached unprecedented levels, according to a leading annual survey released today.
The American Sport Fanship Survey, now in its third year, shows a dramatic worsening in user-reported behavior. The Siena Research Institute conducted the poll in February 2026, which included 3,084 responses from a proprietary online panel of U.S. residents. The margin of error was +/- 1.9%.
It appears more Americans are experiencing sports betting harm than ever before. More than a quarter (27%) of Americans have an active online sports betting account, the survey found.
Let’s look at the key findings among these users.
Percentage of online sports bettors who report chasing losses
- 2026: 60%
- 2025: 52%
- 2024: 53%
Percentage who say someone else has expressed concern about their betting
- 2026: 31%
- 2025: 23%
- 2024: 22%
Percentage who say they have lied about the extent of their betting
- 2026: 27%
- 2025: 20%
- 2024: 19%
Percentage who say they bet more than they should
- 2026: 42%
- 2025: 37%
- 2024: 38%
Percentage who say they feel bad or ashamed after losing a bet
- 2026: 43%
- 2025: 37%
- 2024: 37%
Percentage who who say they lose money that causes financial issues
- 2026: 26%
- 2025: 20%
- 2024: 18%
Percentage who who say they seek help for their gambling
- 2026: 15%
- 2025: 9%
- 2024: 9%
Significance of the Survey Data
The 2026 survey comes amid an explosion of online sports betting in the form of prediction markets, which are regulated by the federal government, not the states.
However, just 15% of survey respondents report ever using a prediction market. Nevertheless, prediction markets appear to be having a meaningful impact on population-level problem gambling.
Traditional online sports betting also continues to expand and harm users.
In 2025, Americans spent $16.4 billion on state-sanctioned online sports betting, up more than 20% compared to 2024.
Amid worsening user behavior, more and more Americans view legal sports betting as bad for society, according to a late 2025 poll from the Pew Research Center.
The silver lining is that more sports bettors (15%) are seeking help to quit gambling.
