Legal Sports Betting Now Linked to Food Insecurity in U.S. Households

Research published June 10, 2026, establishes a direct connection between legal sports betting access and food insecurity among American households. The finding arrives as food insecurity itself has risen from 10.2% of households in 2021 to 12.8% in 2022, concentrating among lower-income families and households with young children—the same demographics most vulnerable to budget displacement from wagering. Legalization debates have focused on tax revenue and handle volume; the social-cost accounting has lagged significantly behind market expansion.