WVXU: A year into Ohio's legalized sports betting, gambling addiction is on the rise
UC expert says awareness of helpful resources is key
More than 250,000 Ohioans have a problem gambling disorder, according to the most recent Ohio Gambling Survey. The number of people with the disorder tripled between 2017 and 2022 and, after sports betting became legal last year, experts expect the trend to continue.
On a recent Cincinnati Edition on WVXU, Gregory Stewart of the UC College of Allied Health Sciences was one of the experts on a panel discussing problem gambling, one year after it became legal in Ohio at the start of 2023.
Gregory Stewart of the School of Social Work at the UC College of Allied Health Sciences/Photo/provided
Stewart was asked about the demographics of the people getting into sports betting.
"One of the communities would be the African-American community," said Stewart, who is also the vice chair for communications of the Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Coalition of Southwest Ohio. "As we look to what the advertising is centered towards, you see some major celebrities and their outreach. So we would say to many communities, be aware that gambling can be entertaining for many people, but for some individuals, it can be a problem."
Stewart says it is important to let people facing a challenge with gambling addiction know that resources are available.
"One of the things that we hope to have happen with our coalition is we are sharing the news that if there are occasions that a person feels that they themselves have a challenge or if a family member may have a challenge, that there’s resources to help with that," Stewart said.
Stewart said young people especially, with their frequent phone usage, are susceptible to developing gambling problems.
"We know that young people are very savvy with their phones, and there are some safeguards that we are asking the industry to put in place to help prevent access to some of these sports betting apps," he said.
Lead photo/Amit Lahav/Unsplash
Next Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Commission and is ranked in the National Science Foundation's Top-35 public research universities. UC's graduate students and faculty investigate problems and innovate solutions with real-world impact. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
UC expands partnership with Thales for AI research
April 22, 2026
The University of Cincinnati’s interdisciplinary research facility Digital Futures welcomed its first industrial partner, Thales, at the beginning of Research + Innovation week. Thales is a global aerospace, defense and digital technology firm. Headquartered in France, it employs 83,000 people in dozens of countries, according to the Business Courier.
Record-setting UC track and field star sprints toward the future
April 22, 2026
University of Cincinnati student‑athlete Juliette Laracuente‑Huebner is graduating in three years with a 4.0 GPA, UC track and field records and All‑America honors, while pursuing a Doctor of Audiology and training for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine celebrates Class of 2026 at Honors Day
April 21, 2026
The UC College of Medicine celebrates the Class of 2026 at Honors Day. With a 100% residency match rate, 177 new MD, MD-PhD and MD-MPH graduates prepare for top-tier training nationwide.