Pennsylvania’s gambling industry has boomed over the past several years since the arrival of sports betting and online casinos.
In the last fiscal year, the commonwealth posted record gaming revenues of about $6.4 billion, primarily due to growth in online gambling. But with this industry expansion, certain data sources suggest a growing number of Pennsylvanians might be struggling with addiction.
Here’s some of what we know about problem gaming in the commonwealth:
Calls to Pennsylvania’s gambling helpline have surged in recent year
Last year, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania recorded 2,168 intake calls, with about 780 of them from people seeking help for online casino gambling. Another 348 calls came in about internet sports betting, according to the council’s online report.
That’s a big leap from 2020, when there were 1,115 reported intake calls, of which 250 were about internet gambling.
