More than Fun and Games: Problematic Sports Betting and Its Adverse Impact on Mental Health and Well-Being in Young Adults

Abstract

Background: The rapid rise in sports betting, especially among young adults (age 18-29), necessitates identifying health correlates of this addictive behavior. The present study examined associations between sports betting and mental health and well-being, which represents a timely literature gap. Method: The sample was 221 young adult sport bettors from 36 different states (M¬age = 24.4, 77.7% male). Regression models estimated associations between problem sports betting severity (PGSI-SB) and symptoms of depression, anxiety, psychological distress, loneliness, and stress, as well as indices of well-being, including satisfaction with life, optimism, connectedness, and social functioning. Results: Findings reveal robust associations between problem sports betting severity and each index of mental health symptomology, and inverse associations with indices of well-being. The strongest relative effect size was the association between problem sports betting severity and stress (a 1SD increase in PGSI-SB score corresponded to 48% of a standard deviation increase in stress). Conclusions: This study provides novel and timely evidence for associations between problem sports betting and various indices of mental health and well-being; thus, highlighting the need for more research on this topic and the rapid development of prevention/intervention strategies aimed at the intersection of sports betting and mental health.