Ohio legalized sports gambling in 2023 for a statewide market where few things are more popular than sports.
Gamblers embraced the opportunity to bet online and in person at sportsbooks and lottery-style kiosks to wager more than $7.6 billion on sports statewide in 2023, according to Crain’s Cleveland Business. That helped fuel the $119.8 billion Americans legally wagered on sports last year, an increase of 27.8 percent from 2022, according to The Associated Press.
While many people can bet responsibly, the increased accessibility to gambling sites – 97 percent of sports bets in Ohio were placed online or on mobile devices – has brought with it an increase in the risk for gambling addiction.
Michelle Snowden, Associate Director of 211 Navigation Services, was featured on an ESPN Outside the Lines special program on sports gambling. Michelle discussed some of the trends that 211 Navigators have seen since Ohio legalized sports gambling in January 2023, and the help available through 1-800-GAMBLER, which United Way 211 manages on behalf of the state.
View the episode featuring Michelle Snowden here.
