© Provided by Topeka WIBW-TV FILE – Kansas Governor Laura Kelly collects the winnings of the state’s first legal sports bet on Feb. 23, 2023.
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – A recent report has found that while Kansans may have a prevalent gambling addiction, the Sunflower State is one of the least gambling-addicted states.
With gambling companies bringing in a record $60 billion in 2022 and the Kentucky Derby just around the corner, personal finance website WalletHub.com announced on Tuesday, April 25, it released its report on 2023′s Most Gambling-Addicted States – and Kansas is near the bottom.
In order to find which states had the most prevalent gambling addiction, WalletHub said it compared all 50 across 20 metrics. The data set ranged from the presence of illegal gambling operations to lottery sales per capita to the share of adults with gambling disorders.
Kansas ranked as the 7th least addicted – or the 44th most – with a total score of 32.42. The Sunflower State ranked 43rd for gambling friendliness and 23rd for gambling problems and treatment. It tied New Jersey as the state with the third-highest percentage of adults with gambling disorders.
Nebraska ranked 43rd overall – 8th least – with a total score of 32.49. It ranked 42nd for gambling friendliness and 31st for gambling problems and treatment.
To the east, Missouri ranked as the 27th most gambling-addicted state with a total score of 39.24. It ranked 31st for gambling friendliness and 15th for gambling problems and treatment.
On the other side of the Sunflower State, Colorado ranked as the 15th most addicted with a total score of 42.93. It ranked 23rd for gambling friendliness and 13th for gambling problems and treatment.
Oklahoma ranked as the 7th most gambling-addicted state overall. It ranked 5th for gambling friendliness and 33rd for gambling problems and treatment. The state tied both Nevada and South Dakota for the most casinos per capita and for gaming machines per capita.
The report found the most gambling-addicted states are:
- Nevada
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Louisiana and Mississippi
The report found the least gambling-addicted states are:
- Utah
- Vermont
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Maine
For more information or to see where other states fall, click HERE.