Sports Betting's Hidden Cost: Food on the Table

New research links legal sports betting to food insecurity in U.S. households. As food insecurity rose from 10.2% to 12.8% of households between 2021 and 2022—hitting low-income families hardest—studies show wagering access displaces household budgets for essentials. Legalization debates have fixated on tax revenue and betting volume, but overlooked the social costs.