Michigan Sees Surge in Online Gambling Addiction, Experts Blame Legalization

Some experts claim that the rise in problematic online gambling in Michigan can be attributed to the legalization of the practice in the state, with about half of the problem gamblers stemming from internet-based options. What Does the Data Show? In fiscal year 2021, the state referred 398 individuals for treatment through its problem gambling hotline. Of those, about 13% reported struggling with internet gambling options, including internet gaming and online sports betting. The number of people referred for treatment increased to 508 in fiscal year 2022 before declining to 481 in fiscal year 2023, 468 in fiscal year 2024, and 432 in fiscal year 2025. At the same time, the share of those reporting problems with internet gambling options rose steadily from 24% in fiscal year 2022 to 38% in fiscal year 2023, 51% in fiscal year 2024, and 50% in fiscal year 2025. Furthermore, the number of people voluntarily excluding themselves from internet gaming and online sports betting has surged. According to the Gaming Control Board, Michigan’s Responsible Gaming Database, which was created specifically to manage online gaming exclusions, recorded 78 people who self-excluded from iGaming in 2021. That number rose to 343 by the end of 2022, 691 by the end of 2023, 1,156 in December 2024, and 1,644 by the end of 2025. Information about the types of gambling individuals are struggling with is collected by a third-party provider contracted by the state to operate the problem gambling hotline and make treatment referrals. Callers typically either voluntarily disclose the type of gambling causing them problems or are asked by hotline staff to provide additional details. Experts Blame This on the Legalization of Online Gambling The increase in people seeking help is partly attributable to legalization, which has brought requirements to promote responsible gambling resources and may have helped normalize seeking assistance, said Joe Maloney, president of the Sports Betting Alliance. He said rules and regulations require gambling operators to provide information about problem gambling and responsible gambling resources. Angela Smith-Butterwick, director of the substance use, gambling and epidemiology division at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said the availability of online gambling has expanded access to younger people who may have little interest in visiting a brick-and-mortar casino. She said the convenience of having gambling platforms readily available on a smartphone can make it easier for people to start gambling online. To combat this, earlier this year, Michigan launched Don’t Bet on Your Future, an educational campaign aimed at explaining the potential risk of gambling to teens. Meanwhile, according to Marlene Warner, interim executive director of the Michigan Association on Problem Gambling, Michigan’s data appears to support anecdotal evidence about the people most affected by the state’s newer forms of gambling. However, she still cautioned that the data and emerging trends can be difficult to interpret in a rapidly evolving online gambling landscape. Changes in the legalized gambling market, the continued availability of illegal gambling options, and the emergence of prediction markets all make it challenging to assess trends with certainty, she said. In other news from Michigan, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) renewed the operating licenses for the state’s three brick-and-mortar casinos.