About one of nine Pennsylvania adults is gambling online on sports, casino games, or the iLottery, according to a new survey conducted jointly by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, and Penn State University.
Conducted between December 2020 and June 2021, the survey of 1,158 Pennsylvanians aged 18 or older found that 11.1 percent had engaged in interactive gaming in the prior 12 months. Sports betting was the most common activity, with 47.7 percent of those surveyed saying they have placed digital wagers.
The study also found 44.6 percent answered “yes” to at least one of five questions intended to identify whether individuals had potential for problem gambling, although statistics still say that only 2 percent of the population have a serious disorder.
The study of iGaming’s impact was mandated by the 2017 law that expanded Pennsylvania’s gaming, including authorization of iGaming. The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) awarded a $461,000 contract to Penn State’s Glenn Sterner, an assistant professor of criminal justice, for the first year of study of the issue, and he has been approved to continue the work for at least two more years.
“We want to ensure we are offering all the resources we can at the state level to anyone who may be experiencing problem gambling behaviors,” Jen Smith, the department’s secretary, said in a press release. “Knowing the current iGaming trends in the state will help DDAP make informed decisions and help to spread awareness that treatment and resources are available to help when this recreational hobby becomes a more serious problem.”
A portion of the state’s gaming revenue that amounts to about $5 million annually is dedicated to problem gambling awareness, education, and treatment programs.
Among other survey findings:
- 7 percent of online gamblers had used that method for sports betting, followed in usage by 40.6 percent for table games, 29 percent for fantasy sports, 28.8 percent for slots, 20.7 percent for iLottery, and 16.4 percent for poker.
- About two-thirds of online gamblers were men (67.8 percent).
- The average age of those gambling was 38.
- More than half, or 51.3%, had college degrees of some sort, whether associate degrees or higher.
- On average, the gamblers spent $219 per week.
- 9 percent said online gaming represented their favorite form of gambling, but 45.9 percent of respondents also make in-person lottery purchases and 30.8 percent had visited a Pennsylvania casino in the prior year.
Digital wagering on casino games and sportsbooks generated a total of $1.4 billion in revenue last year.
