Honestly, I think the online sports gambling boom is gonna have some serious blowback sooner rather than later. As someone who enjoys playing poker, some people simply chase their losses a bit too much and get in over their head pretty quick.
The blow back has already started. The accessibility on phones/computers/tablets is already spiking gambling problems. It is also causing gambling problems in people at an earlier age.
A problem with gambling addiction is it has little to no physical signs as other addictions do so it is harder to get people early intervention/help. You rarely see signs of gambling addiction until someone is deep in. And with 24/7 access it is very possible to not see anything until someone starts stealing to fuel their addiction or they have services cut off etc.. With track/casino type gamblers you will start to see them missing functions/work/family time due to being at the track/casino but with sports/online betting they can be betting and be present at functions/work etc.. Though maybe not fully mentally present, they are at least physically there. Compulsive gamblers also have a high tendency to lie/hide their addiction out of shame. I know other addictions do also but a gambling addict will have an easier time of doing it because there aren't the physical effects that show like from alcohol, pills, or hard drugs.
There are also a lot of studies done that show that suicidal thoughts/attempted suicide/successful suicide are exponentially higher among gambling addicts. Couple that with a lot of people using gambling to run from life's problems makes for a bad mix.
If anyone thinks they have a problem with gambling please reach out to gamblers anonymous/a counselor for help. And absolutely if anyone is having dark or suicidal thoughts PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE use the tons of resources available to you.
The study found that suicide rates increased 19-fold among men between the ages of 20 and 49 if they had a gambling problem and by 15 times among men and women of all ages.
Swedish research, if applied to UK, suggests 550 suicides a year are linked to gambling
www.theguardian.com