Nevada is the Most Gambling-Addicted State, but South Dakota and Montana are Next?

Posted on: April 22, 2025, 09:34h. 

Last updated on: April 22, 2025, 09:43h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More

Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

• WalletHub has unveiled its list of the most gambling-addicted states
• Nevada takes the top spot again
• South Dakota and Montana near the top are surprising

No surprise here: Nevada has again been recognized as the most gambling-addicted state. That’s according to the 2025 study from WalletHub, an online personal finance website that advises consumers through periodic studies.

WalletHub’s Most Gambling-Addicted States study has put Nevada atop the list each year since the annual review was first published in 2016. Las Vegas has also been regularly named the Most Sinful City by WalletHub.

Those distinctions aren’t newsworthy, as Nevada and Sin City are where gamblers lose more money than in any other part of the country. What is surprising is the states that follow Nevada in the 2025 Most Gambling-Addicted States survey.

WalletHub says it compared all 50 states across 20 key metrics, ranging from the number of casinos and gaming machines per capita to the number of adults with gambling disorders, to compile its list.

Gambling-Addicted State Shockers

Researchers at WalletHub said South Dakota ranks second as the most gambling-addicted state because it has a disproportionately high number of casinos for its small population of less than one million residents. South Dakota also has the 10th highest lottery sales per resident aged 18 and older.

South Dakota has legalized betting on fantasy sports, regular sports, and horse races, and it allows gambling machines to be put in stores. With so many different legal ways to gamble, it makes sense that many residents have a problem. The grip that gambling has on the Mount Rushmore State is evident in the fact that it has a high number of Gamblers Anonymous meetings per capita,” the report said.

As for Montana, the WalletHub probe said the state ranks third in gambling addiction, with 2.5% of residents having a gambling disorder.

Montana has a very large number of gaming machines and casinos per capita, and it allows residents to bet on sports and horse races. People in The Treasure State can use electronic gambling machines in retail and convenience stores, as well,” the study relayed.

Rounding out the top five is less surprising with Pennsylvania and Mississippi. Gaming revenue in Pennsylvania last year trailed only Nevada and New Jersey. Mississippi is famed for its riverboats and the Gulf Coast where many casinos litter the shore.

Louisiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Oregon, and New Jersey round out the top 10 most gambling-addicted states.

Nevada No Surprise 

No state has better accessibility to legal gaming than Nevada. That’s led to it also experiencing the highest rate of problem gambling. Players in Nevada lost more than $15.6 billion gambling last year.

“Nevada is the most gambling-addicted state, and that comes as no surprise considering it’s home to Las Vegas, the gambling capital of America,” the report wrote. “Nevada also ranks first when it comes to both casinos per capita and gaming machines per capita, giving residents plenty of opportunities to get hooked on this dangerous addiction.”

WalletHub cautions its readers about gambling and to consider it only as a form of entertainment — not a way to make money.

“While some people may be able to enjoy casual gambling from time to time, others need to avoid temptation altogether. People with a gambling addiction may find it helpful to live in states where places to gamble are less prevalent and laws against betting are stricter,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.