Pennsylvania Faces Urgent Public Health Challenge as One in Four Is at Risk of Gambling Disorder

Pennsylvania gamblers lost a record $6.8 billion in 2025, marking the state’s fifth consecutive year of all-time-high gaming revenue.

The ever-growing industry is helping bridge state funding gaps and provide new resources for initiatives across the commonwealth, but a new government report raises concerns about how the market is impacting public health, family finances, and society as a whole.

2025 House Resolution No. 60 directed the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s Joint State Government Commission to study how sports betting and iGaming are affecting the commonwealth.

The researchers determined that the state is facing an urgent and escalating public health challenge, and that lawmakers must decide whether to intervene immediately to reduce gambling disorders or to further study the issue.

Pennsylvania is home to 18 brick-and-mortar casinos plus iGaming, retail and mobile sports betting, fantasy sports, and truck stop video gaming terminals. The $6.8 billion in 2025 revenue does not include player losses from unregulated skill machines or the state-run lottery.

Report Recommendations

The Joint State Government Commission has advised the General Assembly to decide if gaming regulators should force licensees to implement new responsible gaming measures.

If Harrisburg opts for the swift implementation of safeguards designed to minimize gambling disorders, the commission recommends that the use of credit cards be banned from online sports betting and internet casino platforms.

The report additionally suggests that online gamblers be required to impose betting limits on losses, duration of play, and number of deposits within a specified time period. The report advocates limiting advertising in media and physical locations where youth congregate, specifically highlighting college campuses.

The commission thinks it would be wise to ban online sportsbooks and iGaming platforms from pushing notifications to users who are logged out of the app. The commission also recommends banning AI-driven, individually tailored marketing and promotions.

In-game betting, which the commission found to be responsible for many problem gamblers’ transition from responsible to irresponsible play, and in-game betting, banning or ‘sharply curtailing’ VIP programs, are among the other proposed interventions.

One in Four Prone to Gambling Disorder

The Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society and the Pennsylvania Society of Addiction Medicine believe the state’s embrace of legal gambling is causing a public health crisis.

The societies are encouraging the industry to refer to gambling problems as “gambling disorders” instead of “compulsive gambling” or “problem gambling.” They say “gambling disorder” reflects a better understanding of the matter and reduces stigma barriers in seeking help.

The societies estimate more than one in four Pennsylvania adults is at risk of developing a gambling disorder.