JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As football season intensifies, mental health experts warn that casual sports betting can quietly evolve into a serious addiction.
“It really can lead to a gradual moment of I don’t have to pull away because it is so easily available,” Nicole Davidson-Harshaw, a licensed mental health counselor, said.
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The growing concern comes as attitudes toward sports betting shift nationwide. Recent Pew Research data showed increasing skepticism among young adults, with 47% of men under 30 now viewing legal sports betting as detrimental to society – a significant jump from 22% in 2022. Among women under 30, this view has also increased, rising from 25% to 35% over three years.
Davidson-Harshaw identified several red flags that might indicate problematic betting behavior.
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“Hygiene, social skills, eating habits, all of those things tend to take a back seat because of the addictive behavior,” she said. “It’s not so leisurely done when it’s done with such a habitual behavior all by itself.”
While sports betting remains legal in Florida, experts emphasize the importance of responsible gambling practices. Davidson-Harshaw recommends a structured approach to betting.
“Be honest with yourself,” she said. “Maybe even schedule hours when you will do the sports betting. So that is actually a scheduled activity and not simply taking control of you but your manifesting the way you want to mitigate that behavior.”
The key, experts stress, is recognizing personal limits before gambling transitions from entertainment to addiction.