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Gaming Edge’s TL;DR
- Rhode Island’s mobile sports betting boom is creating a “silent addiction” among college-age players as apps, targeted ads, and an 18+ legal age combine to increase risk.
- This growth highlights how easy access and aggressive marketing can produce addiction, strain treatment resources, and raise regulatory questions tied to state gambling revenue.
Professor Patrick Kelly of Providence College created a course, Sports Betting, Problem Gambling and Financial Wellness, after observing targeted sportsbook advertising reaching dozens of students.
Rhode Islanders wagered nearly $473 million last fiscal year, with 84% of bets placed online. The state collected roughly $19 million after payouts, commissions and fees.
Younger adults dominate activity on SportsbookRI. People ages 18 to 35 account for more than half of users – and Rhode Island is one of six states with an 18 legal betting age. Surveys cited in the reporting show broad account ownership (22% of Americans in a 2025 study) and risky betting behavior among 18- to 22 year-olds.
Kelly warns that algorithms and promotions are tailored to users’ habits and calls sports betting a “silent addiction.”
The perfect storm for addiction
The combination of mobile apps, targeted promotions, and easy legal access raises the odds of frequent, high-risk wagering.
Educators report students using loan funds to bet and suffering financial harm that is largely invisible to families because activity happens on phones.
Research cited by Kelly suggests 97% to 99% of regular gamblers lose money over five years, and NCAA and Siena surveys show high exposure to advertising and risky play.
For operators and state budgets, sports betting is lucrative – gambling produced nearly 8% of Rhode Island’s revenue – but the state’s investment in responsible gambling remains minimal (roughly 0.1–0.2% of gambling revenue in recent years).
Bally’s has increased voluntary payments to fund programs (about $1M in the last fiscal year), but those payments are not legally tied to revenue, unlike larger commitments required in neighboring states such as Massachusetts. The mix of profit incentives and limited public health spending creates pressure for regulators and advocacy groups to push for stronger safeguards.
Based on reporting by Eli Sherman and Tim White for WPRI.
