MARYLAND - The surge of mobile sports betting ads during college and professional sports broadcasts has led to a rise in gambling addiction concerns in Maryland.
Since mobile sports betting was launched in the state last November, experts have observed an increase in gambling addiction cases.
Ryan Messatzzia, a professor at Wor-Wic Community College specializing in addiction courses, likens the accessibility of mobile sports betting to having "a full bar in your living room" for people struggling with alcohol abuse. "So instead of having to drive 30, 40 minutes to the casino, I now just have to pull out my mobile phone, and it's right there available to me," Messatzzia explained.
Mary Drexler, Director at the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling, highlighted the financial disparity in addressing the issue. Unlike brick-and-mortar casinos, mobile sports betting companies do not contribute to the state's Problem Gambling Fund. A
Drexler emphasized the need for more funding to counter the impact of these advertisements. "They have millions of dollars to spend on advertising, while we don't have that kind of funding," Drexler stated. She is now working with lawmakers to address this funding gap.
Senator Johnny Mautz, a Republican from Talbot County believes more should be contributed to the Problem Gambling Fund but cautioned against merely "throwing money at the problem."
"I'm very interested in the suggestions that have been proposed however I think that we're going to know more about problem gambling, the solutions that are offered, the accountability of those programs during this upcoming session," he said.