{
  "id": "gambling-advertising-and-problem-gambling-in-the-united-states-multi-level-evidence-beyo",
  "type": "article-journal",
  "title": "Gambling advertising and problem gambling in the United States: Multi-level evidence beyond sports-betting legal status",
  "author": [
    {
      "family": "Vargo",
      "given": "C. J."
    },
    {
      "family": "Hopp",
      "given": "T."
    },
    {
      "family": "Gangadharbatla",
      "given": "H."
    }
  ],
  "URL": "https://chrisjvargo.com/publications/gambling-advertising-and-problem-gambling-in-the-united-states-multi-level-evidence-beyo/",
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2026
      ]
    ]
  },
  "container-title": "Policy & Internet",
  "abstract": "Background: U.S. gambling debates often center on legal status, but advertising is a distinct policy lever. Methods: Study 1 links quarterly state-level gambling advertising outlays across paid media (2014–2023) to Google Trends indices for 116 problem-gambling help-seeking queries across 41 states (1,640 state-quarters). Study 2 combines surveys with passive digital traces from 419 exposure-eligible mobile-platform users. Results: Higher state-level ad spend, but not sports-betting legal status, was associated with greater help-seeking search interest, and this association strengthened over time. Platform-specific gambling-ad exposure on Facebook, TikTok, and X was associated with gambler status, gambling frequency, and the probability of any observed gambling-site visit. Clean gambling ads were also associated with higher 24-hour odds of subsequent gambling touchpoints, especially web visits; among gamblers, ad-triggered touchpoints were associated with problem-gambling scores more consistently than raw clean ad volume. Conclusions: Convergent state-level and individual-level evidence links gambling advertising with engagement and harm-related indicators, while the observational designs do not identify causal effects. The findings support stronger restrictions on advertising volume, placement, inducements, and targeting.",
  "keyword": "gambling advertising, gambling marketing, sports-betting legal status, problem gambling, digital trace data"
}