Commercial Gaming

Social Security Payment Days Trigger Spikes in Gambling, Study Finds

Posted on: October 13, 2026, 12:54h.

Last updated on: October 14, 2026, 06:26h.

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Devin O'Connor Devin O'Connor is a senior reporter for Casino.org, covering politics, casino business, and gaming news. Devin came on board with Casino.org in 2014...
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Key Points

A West Virginia University doctoral researcher believes daily video lottery revenue may rise when Social Security recipients receive benefits
Matt Mullis is analyzing machine-level revenue data from 2024 and 2025 to investigate a possible link between benefit payment dates and gambling
Research suggests adults 65 and older often gamble for relaxation and socialization, with seniors generally facing lower gambling-problem risks

A doctoral researcher at West Virginia University has uncovered a direct link between monthly Social Security payout dates and surges in gambling activity among older adults.

Social Security gambling link West Virginia — A stock illustration shows an explanation of benefits from the Social Security Administration, a check from the United States Treasury, and a Social Security card. A researcher at the University of West Virginia has found a link between gambling activity and Social Security allocations. (Image: Shutterstock)

Matt Mullis is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in economics at West Virginia University, where he collaborates with the WVU Center for Gaming Research and Development. During his research, Mullis identified what he believes is direct statistical evidence linking Social Security disbursement dates to surges in gaming revenue.

West Virginia is home to an extensive legal gambling industry, with a state-run lottery, land-based casinos and racinos, charitable gaming, and retail and online sports betting.

West Virginia is also home to so-called “Hot Spots,” restaurants, bars, lounges, laundromats, and social clubs that house a few slot-like video lottery machines.

Mullis says when Social Security recipients collect their monthly deposit, demand for gambling rises.

Social Security Fueling Gambling?

Mullis says Hot Spot gaming machines are in high demand on days when Social Security payments hit bank accounts.

The Social Security Administration issues payments on the second, third and fourth Wednesday of each month based on birth dates: beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th receive funds on the second Wednesday, those born between the 11th and 20th on the third, and those born after the 20th on the fourth Wednesday.

Among the primary data sets analyzed by the WVU Center for Gaming Research and Development were daily, machine-level revenue reports from West Virginia VLTs between 2024 and 2025.

If you pointed out a machine in the state, we could tell you exactly how much money that machine got on a certain day,” Mullis told WVU Magazine.

There are approximately 71 million Americans who receive monthly Social Security benefits. The program pays monthly benefits to retired workers, people with disabilities, and the families of workers who have died.

Seniors and Gambling

Although older adults participate in gambling at higher rates than younger demographics, broader research indicates that gamblers aged 65 and older face a lower risk of developing severe gambling disorders.

A 2023 study by the New York Council on Problem Gambling, titled Gambling and Aging, concluded that many seniors utilize cognitive and behavioral boundaries that help prevent compulsive behaviors.

“Recreational gambling among older adults is associated with positive outcomes in terms of cognitive stimulation, socialization, health, and well-being,” the report stated.

Among gamblers aged 65 and older, more than seven in 10 reported wagering primarily to relax, pass the time and relieve boredom.