UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Online gambling in Pennsylvania continues to increase, according to the 2025 Pennsylvania Interactive Gaming Assessment: Online Gambling Report. The assessment was co-authored by researchers in Penn State’s Criminal Justice Research Center and developed under contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP).
The researchers surveyed over 3,500 Pennsylvania residents, employing two different sampling methods that found up to 30% of Pennsylvania adults engaged in some form of online gambling in the past year. This compares with the 2024 report, which found that 20% of Pennsylvania adults gambled online, the researchers wrote.
According to the report, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board noted record highs in iGaming revenues — revenue generated by state-regulated interactive gaming operators like sports betting companies and online casinos —reaching over $3 billion. This uptick coincides with calls to the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline, with over 50% of calls related to problematic online gambling.
"This year we expanded our survey to include the prevalence of compulsive and problem gambling among Pennsylvania residents," said lead researcher Glenn Sterner, previously an associate professor of criminal justice at Penn State Abington and currently an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Kentucky. "This expansion of the assessment will help us to monitor this important public health indicator so that we can work with partners at the state to local level on addressing issues associated with the growing popularity of online gambling.”
Other report findings include:
- Between 60% and 73% of Pennsylvania adults engaged in some form of gambling either offline or online
- Pennsylvanians continued to gamble more offline, increasing from 56% in 2024 to 69% in 2025 than online, which increased from 17% to 30%
- For the fifth year in a row, sports betting was the most popular online gambling format, while lotteries were the most popular offline gambling format
- Between 2.5% and 6.4% of all Pennsylvanians may be a problem gambler
- Pennsylvanians who gambled both online and offline are at the highest risk for problem gambling
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Over 10% of Pennsylvania adults gambled on websites and gambling formats not registered with and regulated by the state
“Knowing what the current online gambling trends are in Pennsylvania will assist DDAP in our work to assess and address how gambling behaviors impact compulsive and problem gambling within the Commonwealth,” said DDAP Secretary Latika Davis-Jones. “It will also help to guide our work as we expand DDAP’s gambling services to include case management supports for the very first time. This will mean any individual in Pennsylvania who struggles with problem gambling behaviors can call 1-800 GAMBLER and receive case management and outpatient treatment services, like help with financial counseling, childcare, medical assistance, employment or other non-treatment needs.”
Other researchers who contributed to the report are Gillian E. H. Russell, assistant research professor, Penn State Abington; and Amanda M. Ferrara, operations manager at Penn State Social Science Research Institute’s Survey Research Center.
Funding for the report was made available through Pennsylvania Act 42, utilizing revenues generated from interactive gaming licensees.