Provo – – October 13, 2026 -- More than half of U.S. adults (55%) gamble at least monthly, and roughly 1 in 8 gamble every day, according to a new national survey from the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University. Monthly participation is higher among men (63%) than women (48%).
Young adults bet to make money, not just for fun
About 4 in 10 respondents name making money as a primary reason they gamble. Among adults ages 18 to 29, money edges out entertainment, 53% to 50%. Adults 30 and older lean the other way, with 51% citing entertainment and 37% citing financial gain.
The report, "Gambling With Our Future," draws on a survey of 2,548 U.S. adults. It covers 16 activities, from lottery tickets and charity raffles to mobile sports betting, prediction markets and high-risk financial trading treated as a wager.
Half of gamblers expect to win or break even in an hour
About 8 in 10 respondents correctly agree that most gamblers lose money over time. Asked about their own chances, around half of gamblers believe they would win money or at least break even in a single hour of gambling. About 1 in 5 adults believe the lottery is an effective way to make money, and a similar share think they could consistently profit by betting often.
Young men bet most often and for the highest stakes
Among men ages 18 to 29, 59% gamble at least a few times a week, compared with 34% of women that age. For adults 30 and older, the figures are 33% of men and 20% of women. Of men ages 18 to 29, 67% placed a mobile sports bet in the past year, versus 41% of young women.
Men are three times more likely than women to report losing more than $1,000 in a single day. Among those who gamble at least weekly, men are also three times as likely to report spending $500 or more per week.
One in five adults has been hurt by someone else's gambling
Overall, 21% of adults say someone else's gambling hurt them financially, emotionally or in another way. Another 39% personally know someone with a gambling problem. More frequent gamblers report more depression, anxiety and hopelessness, though the survey does not establish whether gambling causes those difficulties.
"Gambling is not a niche activity," said Paul Lambert, Religion Initiative Director at the Wheatley Institute and co-author of the report.
Moral doubts and religious attendance do not curb betting
Only about 4 in 10 adults think betting is morally wrong and can lead to destructive addiction. Among those who do consider gambling morally wrong, 71% gambled in the past year. More frequent religious attendance is associated with greater participation across all 16 activities, from lottery play to crypto trading.
Co-author Shima Baradaran Baughman, a BYU law professor, said faith communities can help people recognize gambling-related problems and connect those who are struggling with help.