Washington, D.C. March 17, 2025 — As millions of Americans log on to track their college basketball pools, more than half (58%) of adults who gamble online daily say that they have intentionally taken a break or limited the amount of time they spend gambling, new poll data from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) shows.

As March marks Gambling Awareness Month, the poll results show that over a quarter of American adults (28%) have a daily habit of gambling online. Of adults who gamble daily, the majority are men (36% of men reported online gambling for at least a few minutes daily, whereas only 20% of women said the same), but men were more likely to report limiting their gambling than women.

Nine percent of adults reported online gambling for upwards of four hours daily, with 2% of individuals indicating they regularly gamble for over 10 hours a day. Like online shopping, scrolling social media, or playing app-based games, online gambling can become a problematic behavior.

“In these days when the level of access to online gambling is unprecedented, it’s important to be aware of our use of this technology,” said Ramaswamy Viswanathan, M.D., Dr.Med.Sc., President of the American Psychiatric Association. “If you are struggling to limit yourself, or seem to have lost enthusiasm for other pastimes, it may be time to draw the line and to ask for help.”

One-third (35%) of those who reported online gambling daily said they began doing so between the ages of 18 and 25 years old; for each ascending age range after 18-25, respondents were less likely to report having begun gambling during that time, suggesting that late adolescence and early adulthood is a crucial period for shaping attitudes toward online gambling.

The polling data was drawn from an APA national survey, which was fielded by Morning Consult from January 25-26, 2025, among 2201 adults. The sample size of those who gamble daily was 622, with a margin of error of +/-4%. To learn more or request an interview about these results, contact [email protected].

American Psychiatric Association

The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 39,200 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and research of mental illnesses. APA's vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information, please visit www.psychiatry.org.