National Survey on Gambling Attitudes and Gambling Experiences 3.0 (2024)
This report presents the key findings of the third National Survey on Gambling Attitudes and Gambling Experiences (NGAGE 3.0), conducted in April 2024.
This survey is NOT a study of the prevalence of gambling addiction.
This report presents the key findings of the third National Survey on Gambling Attitudes and Gambling Experiences (NGAGE 3.0), conducted in April 2024.
After growing significantly during the pandemic and the continued expansion of sports betting, as of early 2024, risky gambling behavior has leveled off. However, it is too early to assume that rates of problematic play are stable. Many components may impact these rates, including risk factors like increased advertising and mobile betting, as well as protective factors such as increased public funding for prevention, expanded education, and greater public awareness of gambling addiction, as experienced by friends or family or reported on in the media.
Key Findings from NGAGE 3.0
Download NGAGE 3.0 Key Findings
- Levels of problematic play have returned to the levels seen in 2018.
- 8% of American adults, almost 20 million people, reported experiencing at least one indicator of problematic gambling behavior “many times” in the past year.
- The greatest predictors of risk identified in 2024 include: participation in many different gambling activities; gambling weekly or more often; agreeing that gambling is a good way to make money; participating in sports betting (either traditional sports betting or fantasy sports); gambling online; and being male and/or under the age of 35.
- Many Americans underestimate the seriousness of a gambling disorder.
- Many Americans have heard of 1-800-GAMBLER, the National Problem Gambling Helpline number, and most understand its purpose.
- Those who are at the greatest risk of problematic gambling are also those who are the most skeptical about the effectiveness of treatment.
- The number of American adults who report having gambled in the past year has remained constant.
- Despite the increased number of states that have legalized sports betting, the percentage of adults making a sports bet did not show any increase.
- The number of sports bettors making parlay bets has almost doubled, from 17% of sports bettors in 2018, to 30% in 2024.
- Participation in online gambling stayed high while most other forms of gambling returned to their 2018 levels.
Detailed Findings from NGAGE 3.0 (2024)
NGAGE National Trends Dashboard
In response to the Supreme Court ruling in the Murphy case, NCPG commissioned a national survey to measure the extent of gambling in the United States prior to the rapid expansion of sports betting. The survey (conducted in 2018, 2021, and 2024) included questions on gambling-related problems, positive play, and public opinion and beliefs about problem gambling.
NGAGE State Trends Dashboard
The State Trends Dashboard provides an interactive view of state-level data from the National Survey on Gambling Attitudes and Gambling Experiences 1.0 and 3.0, highlighting trends in gambling participation, problematic play indicators, and attitudes about problem gambling.
NGAGE 3.0 State Detailed Reports
State Detailed Reports from the National Survey on Gambling Attitudes and Gambling Experiences 3.0 (2024) offer comprehensive state-specific analyses and provides valuable insight for those engaged in addressing and treating gambling addiction.
NGAGE 3.0 Policy Implications
The NGAGE 3.0 findings confirm the need for a comprehensive system of care for the estimated 2.5 million adults likely to suffer from gambling disorder, as well as the 5 to 8 million more who exhibit some problematic behavior. There is a critical need for education about the realities of gambling and how to lower its risks for those who choose to gamble, particularly for high-risk groups, including young adults, males, online gamblers, and sports bettors.
The high awareness of the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER) demonstrates that such efforts can be effective.
NGAGE 3.0 Research Methodology
The 2024 NGAGE survey used methodology identical to the 2018 and 2021 surveys. Much of the survey duplicated questions in the first two studies, though some questions deemed less valuable or unlikely to show significant change were dropped in favor of new questions. NCPG designed the survey in consultation with the survey vendor Ipsos. Ipsos conducted an online survey of people in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They collected a national sample of 3,013 from January 26, 2024, to March 20, 2024. In addition to the national sample, additional surveys were taken to allow a sample of 300 or more in each state.
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