Where does California rank among the most gambling-addicted states?

Although online and sports betting is not legal in California, the Golden State still finished just outside the top 10 on WalletHub’s recent list of most gambling-addicted states.

WalletHub compared the 50 states to determine where excessive gambling is most prevalent. Their data set of 20 key metrics ranges from the presence of illegal gambling operations to lottery sales per capita to the share of adults with gambling disorders.

California finished 11th overall and is in the top 10 for Gambling Problem and Treatment Rank (7th) and in Gambling-Related Arrests Per Capita (8th), according to WalletHub’s study.

California also ranked 24th in Casinos Per Capita and 50th in Legality of Sports Gambling.

Overall Rank*	State	Total Score	Gambling-Friendliness Rank	Gambling Problem & Treatment Rank
1	Nevada	72.52	1	1
2	South Dakota	66.53	2	9
3	Montana	59.45	7	4
4	Louisiana	57.29	3	22
5	Pennsylvania	55.99	5	16
6	Oklahoma	52.15	6	33
7	Mississippi	51.81	8	23
8	West Virginia	51.05	4	49
9	Oregon	50.51	11	10
10	New Jersey	47.99	9	37
11	California	44.64	26	7
12	North Dakota	44.53	10	38
13	Rhode Island	44.43	17	29
14	Texas	44.38	28	5
15	Illinois	44.35	18	28
16	Wyoming	43.47	23	12
17	Michigan	42.09	12	48
18	Delaware	41.77	19	34
19	Iowa	41.61	14	42
20	New York	41.29	15	44
21	Minnesota	41.01	29	14
22	Indiana	40.61	16	47
23	Colorado	40.56	24	26
24	Missouri	40.19	32	8
25	Massachusetts	39.99	22	32
26	Virginia	39.98	20	40
27	Ohio	39.89	21	41
28	Tennessee	39.34	34	11
29	South Carolina	38.86	46	3
30	Arizona	38.83	30	15
31	New Mexico	38.74	13	50
32	North Carolina	38.36	33	19
33	Maryland	37.79	25	36
34	Idaho	37.06	38	17
35	Kentucky	36.41	27	43
36	New Hampshire	36.09	45	6
37	Washington	35.70	36	27
38	Alabama	35.54	40	20
39	Florida	35.41	31	31
40	Arkansas	35.21	37	21
41	Georgia	34.20	39	30
42	Kansas	33.06	43	25
43	Connecticut	31.72	35	46
44	Hawaii	31.55	49	2
45	Wisconsin	31.19	42	35
46	Maine	30.40	41	39
47	Nebraska	28.78	44	45
48	Vermont	27.06	47	24
49	Alaska	26.65	48	13
50	Utah	24.14	50	18

Note: *No. 1 = Most Addicted
With the exception of “Total Score,” the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of each state, where a rank of 1 represents the worst conditions for that category.

Not all gamblers are the same, WalletHub writes. “Recreational” or “social” gamblers, for instance, buy the occasional lottery ticket, take the rare casino trip or bet small stakes in fantasy sports, but they set limits on how much they gamble and don’t cause financial harm to themselves.

When gambling gets out of control, though, it becomes a real medical condition. Gambling disorder, as it’s known, affects about 1-3% of all U.S. adults. That addiction can lead to serious economic consequences. While the gambling industry made a record $66.5 billion in revenue last year, U.S. consumers experience over $100 billion per year in total gambling losses.

Not surprisingly Nevada, the home of Sin City, topped the list of most gambling-addicted states.

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