Sports betting laws tied to anxiety care use

Researchers found higher antidepressant and antianxiety prescription use and more outpatient visits for depression and anxiety following legalization, with more robust associations among men.

By
Andrea Surnit
November 10, 2026
5 min

MDSpire News

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A quasi-experimental analysis of commercial insurance claims included 61,951,305 enrollee-years among adults aged 18 to 64 years in 35 states.
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Online sports betting legalization was associated with increased antidepressant and antianxiety medication use and outpatient depression and anxiety care.
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Associations were generally larger or more robust among men, although estimated increases in several outcomes were numerically larger among women.
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Mental health care associations generally grew over time after legalization, while emergency department visits and hospitalizations did not change significantly.
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The study was limited to employer-insured adults, and claims data could not identify betting participation or distinguish worsening mental health from improved access to care.

Sports betting laws tied to anxiety care use

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Original Source(s)

Sports betting laws tied to anxiety care use

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