Online sports betting is pushing up binge drinking among young men. That is the finding of new research published in the journal Health Economics, raising fresh concerns about public health consequences of one of the fastest-growing gambling markets in the world.

Researchers Kabir Dasgupta and Keshar Ghimire examined alcohol and tobacco use across US states after sports betting was legalised. They analysed data from more than three million adults surveyed between 2016 and 2023. The study found that legalising online sports betting caused a significant rise in binge drinking frequency among men aged 35 and under. The increase was approximately 10 per cent compared to pre-legalisation levels.

Young men who were already binge drinking were doing it more often once online sports wagering became available in their state. Sports betting and binge drinking, the evidence suggests, are far from unrelated.

Sports Betting and Binge Drinking: A Targeted Harm

What makes this research striking is how specific the effect is. Across the full adult population, sports betting legalisation showed no meaningful change in smoking behaviour. General drinking rates did not shift either. The harm landed in one place.

The effect appeared only at what researchers call the “intensive margin.” The number of binge episodes among men who were already binge drinking went up. New people did not start drinking heavily in large numbers. Those most at risk appear to be getting worse.

“The public health impact of sports betting laws may manifest in targeted ways, notably through elevated alcohol consumption in young males who already are heavy drinkers,” the authors write.

Young women in the same age group showed no significant change in drinking or smoking behaviour after legalisation.

Online Sports Wagering and Alcohol Misuse: Why Access Matters

Researchers drew a clear distinction between retail sports betting and online sports betting. Retail means placing a bet in person at a licensed venue. Online means doing it from a smartphone at any hour. Online access drove the binge drinking increase. Those effects showed no sign of fading even five years after legalisation.

Retail-only betting effects diminished over time. Online access did not fade. The authors argue this reflects the low friction of online gambling. It removes practical barriers and draws in younger men disproportionately.

The broader backdrop is notable. Following the 2018 US Supreme Court ruling in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, states began legalising sports betting rapidly. Online search interest in sports betting nearly doubled almost overnight. By 2023, total sports betting wagers had grown to more than 25 times their 2019 value.

Who Faces the Greatest Risk

The research identified several groups of young men where the rise in binge drinking was most pronounced.

Black young men saw the largest effect by some distance. Online legalisation linked to an estimated increase of more than two additional binge-drinking days per month. Unmarried men and those without a university degree also showed significant increases. Among age groups, the clearest effects appeared in men aged 25 to 34. Men aged 18 to 24 showed no significant change.

These patterns align with findings from other countries. A 2023 study of gambling venues in Australia found the largest harms fell on young males in lower-income employment. Similar patterns have since emerged in the US context.

The Link Between Sports Gambling and Drinking Explained

The connection between sports betting and binge drinking is not entirely surprising to researchers. Problem gambling and substance use disorders have long shared a documented correlation. But establishing causation has proved difficult. This study is one of the first to use a natural policy experiment to build a causal case.

The staggered state-by-state rollout of sports betting laws gave researchers a rare opportunity. They could compare states before and after legalisation, using those without laws as a control group.

The drinking increase could reflect direct effects. People drink while placing bets or watching games. It could also reflect indirect ones. A 2024 study found legalisation linked to reduced savings, higher credit card debt, and more overdraft among households in betting states. Financial and mental strain are themselves strong predictors of alcohol misuse.

A Growing Policy Concern

Policymakers are beginning to take a harder look at the consequences of the sports betting boom. In December 2025, Ohio’s Governor publicly stated he regretted signing the state’s sports betting legislation. He cited concerns about the integrity of sport and wider social harms.

The study does carry limitations. It relies on self-reported behaviour, which may understate true consumption. Data covers only the initial years following legalisation, so longer-term effects remain unknown. The authors also note the COVID-19 pandemic’s known influence on drinking. Their sensitivity tests using pre-pandemic data produced qualitatively similar results.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence that expanded online sports wagering carries real public health costs. Those costs are not spread evenly. They tend to fall hardest on those who may already be struggling.

What the Statistics Tell Us

Before legalisation, the average young man in an affected state reported around 4.6 binge-drinking days in the past month. A 10 per cent increase adds roughly half an additional binge episode each month. Across millions of people, that figure compounds quickly.

The study used two robust analytical methods. The first was a two-way fixed effects model. The second was the Callaway and Sant’Anna difference-in-differences approach, built specifically to handle staggered policy rollouts. Both methods pointed in the same direction.

Published in Health Economics (Wiley), 2026. Authors: Kabir Dasgupta (Federal Reserve Board) and Keshar Ghimire (University of Cincinnati, Blue Ash). Data from the CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2016 to 2023.

Source: dbrecoveryresources