The global iGaming market reaches 78.4 billion dollars. Americans who gamble online face 2.3 times the likelihood of screening positive for problem gambling compared with those who gamble only offline. Twelve percent of respondents in a UK study reported unsuccessful attempts to change their gambling.
Key Takeaways
- 12% of respondents in a 2019 UK study reported attempting to change their gambling without success
- In the U.S., 0.8% of adults met DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling (NESARC)
- In the U.S., 41% of adults with gambling disorder reported seeking any kind of help
- The odds of reporting health problems were 2.4x higher for individuals with gambling disorder versus those without (population-based comparison study)
- The global online gambling market was valued at $74.6B in 2023 (a channel associated with higher rates of problem gambling in multiple studies)
- The global iGaming market was $78.4B in 2023 (market size basis for online compulsive gambling risk exposure)
- In Australia, gambling losses were AUD 26.2B in 2022 (population-level loss context tied to harm risk)
- 64% of problem gamblers reported increased involvement over time (escalation pattern)
- Americans who gamble online were 2.3x more likely to screen positive for problem gambling than those who only gamble offline (population-based study)
- In a large cohort study, nearly 1 in 5 (19.2%) online gamblers reported risky/problem gambling levels (internet-based assessment study)
- Compulsive gambling is associated with increased risk of suicide; a systematic review estimated the pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation among people with gambling problems at ~10% (review estimate)
- In Australia, gambling-related harm cost estimates were AUD 6.6B per year (societal costs estimate from national health assessment)
- A New Zealand estimate placed problem gambling economic costs at NZD 2.0B per year (societal costs estimate)
- 2.3% of U.S. adults met DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling in 2001–2002 (NESARC, early estimate).
- 0.5% of U.S. adults met criteria for gambling disorder in 2012–2013 (NESARC-III, DSM-5).
Online and problem gambling are rising, with studies showing frequent harm, high mental health comorbidity, and CBT benefits.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence And Risk1 stats
01
12% of respondents in a 2019 UK study reported attempting to change their gambling without success
Interpretation
Prevalence And Risk Interpretation
In the Prevalence And Risk view of compulsive gambling, 12% of UK respondents in 2019 said they tried to change their gambling but could not, suggesting a notable share of people face persistent difficulty controlling their behavior.
02 · Category
Treatment And Outcomes8 stats
01
In the U.S., 0.8% of adults met DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling (NESARC)
02
In the U.S., 41% of adults with gambling disorder reported seeking any kind of help
03
The odds of reporting health problems were 2.4x higher for individuals with gambling disorder versus those without (population-based comparison study)
04
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) produced significant improvements in gambling severity compared with waitlist control in randomized controlled trials (meta-analysis reported medium effect sizes)
05
A randomized trial found that 63% of participants receiving gambling-specific CBT achieved clinically significant improvement at post-treatment (trial outcome)
06
A systematic review reported that motivational interviewing interventions reduced gambling severity scores in multiple studies (review synthesis)
07
In a Norwegian cohort study, 53% of individuals with gambling disorder accessed gambling-specific treatment services within 5 years
08
A meta-analysis reported that pharmacological interventions (e.g., opioid antagonists) showed reductions in gambling behavior versus placebo across included trials (overall effect reported)
Interpretation
Treatment And Outcomes Interpretation
For the treatment and outcomes of compulsive gambling, evidence shows that most adults with gambling disorder still do not seek help (only 41% sought any kind), yet those who do benefit substantially from therapy, with gambling-specific CBT producing clinically significant improvement in 63% of participants and motivational interviewing lowering severity scores across studies.
03 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
The global online gambling market was valued at $74.6B in 2023 (a channel associated with higher rates of problem gambling in multiple studies)
02
The global iGaming market was $78.4B in 2023 (market size basis for online compulsive gambling risk exposure)
03
In Australia, gambling losses were AUD 26.2B in 2022 (population-level loss context tied to harm risk)
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In the Market Size context, the rapid expansion of digital gambling is clear as the global online gambling market reached $74.6B in 2023 and iGaming climbed to $78.4B the same year, while Australia alone saw AUD 26.2B in gambling losses in 2022, underscoring the scale on which compulsive gambling risk can be concentrated.
04 · Category
Industry Trends7 stats
01
64% of problem gamblers reported increased involvement over time (escalation pattern)
02
Americans who gamble online were 2.3x more likely to screen positive for problem gambling than those who only gamble offline (population-based study)
03
In a large cohort study, nearly 1 in 5 (19.2%) online gamblers reported risky/problem gambling levels (internet-based assessment study)
04
A systematic review found strong evidence linking electronic gambling machines to severe gambling harms, with odds ratios frequently above 2.0 in included studies (review synthesis)
05
A 2021 evidence review reported that targeted advertising exposure is associated with increased gambling intent among some groups (review outcome with quantified effect sizes)
06
A meta-analysis found that problem gamblers have a higher prevalence of co-occurring mood and anxiety disorders, with pooled prevalence estimates around 30-40% across included studies (quantified synthesis)
07
A systematic review reported that impulsivity is significantly associated with gambling disorder, with pooled standardized mean differences around 0.5 in meta-analytic estimates
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry trends in compulsive gambling are increasingly driven by the digital shift, where 64% of problem gamblers report escalating involvement over time and online gambling is linked to higher risk, including 2.3 times greater odds of screening positive and 19.2% of online gamblers reporting risky or problem levels.
05 · Category
Cost And Burden7 stats
01
Compulsive gambling is associated with increased risk of suicide; a systematic review estimated the pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation among people with gambling problems at ~10% (review estimate)
02
In Australia, gambling-related harm cost estimates were AUD 6.6B per year (societal costs estimate from national health assessment)
03
A New Zealand estimate placed problem gambling economic costs at NZD 2.0B per year (societal costs estimate)
04
In the U.S., a cost-of-illness paper estimated the annual economic burden of problem gambling at $4.7B (direct and indirect impacts estimate)
05
A study estimated that bankruptcy filings involving gambling were 3-4% among those reporting behavioral causes (bankruptcy dataset study estimate)
06
A systematic review estimated that comorbid substance use disorders occur in about 20-25% of individuals with gambling disorder (pooled prevalence)
07
A meta-analysis reported that gambling disorder is associated with higher rates of major depressive disorder, with pooled prevalence around 24-28% (synthesis estimate)
Interpretation
Cost And Burden Interpretation
The cost and burden of compulsive gambling is substantial, with annual societal harm estimated at AUD 6.6 billion in Australia and economic costs of NZD 2.0 billion in New Zealand, while U.S. estimates place the annual economic burden of problem gambling at $4.7 billion.
More related reading
06 · Category
Prevalence2 stats
01
2.3% of U.S. adults met DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling in 2001–2002 (NESARC, early estimate).
02
0.5% of U.S. adults met criteria for gambling disorder in 2012–2013 (NESARC-III, DSM-5).
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
From a prevalence standpoint, rates appear to have fallen from 2.3% of U.S. adults meeting DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling in 2001–2002 to 0.5% meeting DSM-5 gambling disorder criteria in 2012–2013, suggesting a notable decline over time.
07 · Category
Risk Drivers2 stats
01
12.0% of people who gamble in Great Britain reported problem gambling-related harms in the last year (share of at-risk/problem gamblers reporting harm, 2023 Gambling Prevalence Survey).
02
3.1% of U.S. adults reported using electronic gambling machines (slot machines/other EGM forms) in-person in the last year (National Survey on Gambling, usage prevalence).
Interpretation
Risk Drivers Interpretation
Risk drivers are clearly present, with 12.0% of gamblers in Great Britain reporting problem gambling related harms in the last year, while 3.1% of U.S. adults use electronic gambling machines in person, indicating that harm risk is tied to specific high-impact gambling participation channels.
08 · Category
Economic Impact3 stats
01
AUD 1.9B in annual productivity losses attributable to gambling-related harm in Australia (Australian cost breakdown estimate).
02
€4.5 billion estimated annual societal cost of gambling-related harm in Germany (European cost estimate based on national reporting).
03
NZD 0.8B estimated annual cost to families/households from problem gambling in New Zealand (national estimate components).
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
Across countries, gambling-related harm creates substantial economic strain, with annual productivity losses of AUD 1.9 billion in Australia, an estimated €4.5 billion societal cost in Germany, and NZD 0.8 billion in household-level burden in New Zealand.
09 · Category
Help Seeking2 stats
01
7.8% of U.S. adults who gambled in the last year met criteria for problem or pathological gambling on an SOGS-type screen (behavioral screen estimate from national survey analysis).
02
63% of people who access gambling treatment in Norway reported their first contact with a treatment provider occurred within 1 year of needing help (Norwegian treatment pathway survey).
Interpretation
Help Seeking Interpretation
In the help seeking category, while 7.8% of U.S. adults who gambled in the past year met criteria for problem or pathological gambling on an SOGS-type screen, 63% of people in Norway who sought gambling treatment said their first contact with a provider happened within one year of recognizing the need.
10 · Category
Treatment Outcomes2 stats
01
37% reduction in gambling severity scores at follow-up in trials of internet-based CBT for gambling disorder (pooled effect estimate from a meta-analysis of digital CBT interventions).
02
Opioid antagonists reduced gambling urges by a standardized mean difference of 0.3 vs placebo across eligible pharmacotherapy studies (meta-analytic effect for urges).
Interpretation
Treatment Outcomes Interpretation
Across treatment outcomes, internet-based CBT showed a 37% reduction in gambling severity scores at follow-up, and pharmacotherapy studies found opioid antagonists reduced gambling urges by an effect size of 0.3 versus placebo, suggesting these approaches can meaningfully improve core symptoms.
report visual · Comparison
How common compulsive gambling is—and how often people seek help
Across surveys, prevalence varies by timeframe and diagnostic criteria, while a sizable share of people with gambling disorder seek help.
In the U.S., 41% of adults with gambling disorder reported seeking any kind of help41%
2.3% of U.S. adults met DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling in 2001–2002 (NESARC, early estimate).
2.3%
0.5% of U.S. adults met criteria for gambling disorder in 2012–2013 (NESARC-III, DSM-5).
0.5%
source-verifiedjamanetwork.com · ncbi.nlm.nih.gov2012
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Karl Becker. (2026, February 13). Compulsive Gambling Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/compulsive-gambling-statistics
MLA
Karl Becker. "Compulsive Gambling Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/compulsive-gambling-statistics.
Chicago
Karl Becker. 2026. "Compulsive Gambling Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/compulsive-gambling-statistics.
Sources & references
37 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+20 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)