Half of gambling helpline calls in US were for technical assistance to place bets
The US Department of Public Health’s Problem Gambling Services Helpline is experiencing an unusual trend. Instead of addiction support, which is why this helpline was set up in the first place, many use it to get help with placing bets, and in particular at minimum bet sportsbooks.
According to the latest statistics, half of over 2,000 calls were for technical assistance to place bets, especially on mobile sports platforms. Additionally, 1,043 gamblers contacted operators to get answers to general questions related to how wagering real money on platforms work.
According to the service data, the number of such calls between July 2022 and June 2023 has increased compared to previous years. This is significant data, considering that this service has been around for a long time. But despite this, the Helpline is using it as an opportunity to speak about responsible gambling to callers. According to experts, one of the main reasons they believe there has been an increase in calls to the Helpline is because of the legalization of sports betting in Massachusetts.
Surge in calls comes after sports betting is legalized in Massachusetts
Sports betting in Massachusetts was legalized in August 2022. Additionally, retail sports betting went live in January 2023. These changes affected several sectors, including, unexpectedly, the US Department of Public Health’s Problem Gambling Services Helpline.
Apparently, this legalization has been well received by many players from The Bay State. However, many of them do not have a complete understanding of how betting works on online platforms, especially on mobile platforms.
As a result, the Helpline witnessed a surge in calls. Thanks to their preparedness, these calls were appropriately handled.
Although the primary purpose of this service is to help players practice responsible gambling and deal with problem gambling, many players from Massachusetts and other US states use it to find out how to enter the world of internet gambling, and in particular top online casinos.
Reports of an increased number of calls do not mean that the number of players facing problem gambling has increased. This was confirmed by Victor Ortiz, the director of the Problem Gambling Services Helpline.
“The Problem Gambling Helpline provides an important connection between those who are experiencing problem gambling — including sports betting — and services that can help,” Ortiz said.
“Expanded access to gambling in the Commonwealth poses risks, particularly to those in recovery, and highlights the need to provide responsive referrals to callers based on their needs.”
This unusual trend may lead to unexpected success for this service. Namely, with every call they receive, operators remind users that they ensure responsible gambling, pay attention to their budget, and see gambling as a form of entertainment and not as a way of making money. This is an unexpected education, which indirectly helps in reducing the number of people who become addicted to gambling.
On a positive note, there is also a growing number of calls seeking help for family members, colleagues, and friends. Interestingly, the rate of male callers is increasing while the number of female callers is more or less the same. With this information in mind, it may be a good idea to think in the direction of creating campaigns that will target these categories of players. Specifically, we are talking about men between the ages of 25 and 40.
Massachusetts Senate wants to higher taxes for sports betting in Massachusetts
Although many US states legalized sports betting years before Massachusetts, this state still managed to surpass most in revenue generated from this activity. In fact, minimum bet sportsbooks have become a hit in this region. In April alone, the Massachusetts sports betting industry had revenue of over $50 million. With that, it became the second US state in the number and value of bets.
On the other hand, compared to the same month last year, it is a decrease. Regardless, Bay State remains one of the national industry leaders.
The initial resistance that specific structures had towards legalization is slowly fading. This situation will change further if taxes on sports betting are increased. Currently, the Massachusetts State Senate is considering increasing taxes on sports betting from 20% to 51%. This initiative is also supported by Senator John Keenan.
When it comes to sports betting taxes, you can’t say that the tax in Massachusetts is low. Other states have lower percentages, such as Colorado with 10%, New Jersey with 13%, and Virginia with 15%. However, there are states where it is higher, such as New York with 51%. It’s clear that legislators want to follow this example, which has proved quite successful in the Empire State. As a reminder, New York is the leader in sports betting revenue. In 2023 alone, this activity generated a revenue of about $1.7 billion.
The potential tax increase will not affect the advertising policies of sportsbooks. Experts in the field agree that MA remains one of the states with the strictest advertising rules. It certainly goes in favor of suppressing the emergence of problem gambling. However, some sports bookmakers do not share this opinion.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that betting on college sports is not allowed, except for college teams that are part of major competitions.
Currently, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has issued licenses to several sportsbooks. Most of them are brands available in other US States. You will find names such as DraftKings, a reputable brand offering live betting, same-game parlays, and more among them. Another brand with a massive fan base is FanDuel, a minimum bet sportsbook with great experience and presence in several US states, including Arizona, Tennessee, West Virginia, and New York. Other notable MA sportsbooks include ESPNBet, Caesars, Fanatics, BetMGM, and WynnBET.
Calls for technical assistance highlight the need for education on responsible gambling practices
By almost all predictions, sports betting in Massachusetts will continue to grow whether or not proposed tax increases related to this activity are approved by the Senate. It will certainly significantly impact the economy and society because the authorities mostly direct these revenues to things that benefit the community. For example, with those revenues, schools are renovated, hospitals are built, etc.
However, with positive things can also come specific problems, such as the emergence of problem gambling. Massachusetts legalized gambling later than many states, and this is an advantage because the authorities can build their strategy based on real-life information about these things.
The fact that half of the calls to the US Department of Public Health’s Problem Gambling Services Helpline are for help with placing bets suggests that a large proportion of MA players are not educated in this area. The authorities need to raise awareness of the dangers of gambling, as do betting sites and places where you can only bet with your physical presence.
In addition, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission may require sportsbooks to post the betting rules in a prominent place and provide more detailed instructions on practicing this activity.
There are also announcements that online gambling will be legalized, which will allow players to visit different Real Money US online casinos. These announcements are based on the experience of other states. However, such a move should be considered in detail because the danger of problem gambling will increase. Investing in additional agents to support the US Department of Public Health’s Problem Gambling Services Helpline sounds like a valid idea in this case.
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