States Spend $75 per Problem Gambler vs. $919 for Substance Abuse, Study Finds

New research reveals that state funding for problem gambling drastically lags behind allocations for substance use disorders. The National Association of Administrators for Disordered Gambling Services (NAADGS) reports in its annual study—Problem Gambling Services in the United States—that while funding for problem gambling services continues to expand, public investment remains woefully inadequate. The NAADGS, an organization dedicated to enhancing federal and state efforts to address gambling harm, reported that state funding for problem gambling rose from $94 million in FY2021 to $188 million in FY2025. But roughly $43 million that was supposed to go to problem gambling services went elsewhere.