Gambling awareness is an expression used to encompass the understanding of potential risks and psychological aspects of casino gaming, sports betting, and related activities. It primarily features concerns regarding problematic participation for vulnerable persons (i.e. addiction) but also recognizes that a large proportion of the population can enjoy gambling as entertainment without negatively impacting their financial and mental wellbeing. Further, the concept acknowledges that a nation can benefit via increases in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), primarily through the economic activity generated by the gambling industry, including employment along with tax revenues that are put towards public service programs. There are stakeholders interwoven into it all, including lawmakers, regulators, and healthcare providers, in addition to the operators who produce gambling products for of-age consumers.
As the words infer, open access to information about all aspects of gambling is critical to finding a healthy balance. As a leader in gambling awareness in the United States, Kindbridge Behavioral Health maintains a weekly publication to keep the gambling public informed. Throughout the recent annum (2025) we have covered numerous developments relating to everything described above and how each may impact public wellness. Below is a year-end summary of these developments complete with links to learn more about each.
2025 Summary of Sports Betting + Casino Gaming in the USA and Gambling Awareness Implications for 2026 and Beyond
Kindbridge Becomes Voice of Gambling Awareness
Among the many reasons for receiving the 2025 Responsible Gaming Award, is the fact that Kindbridge had been asked to provide expert insight at some of the most important panels on Responsible Gaming through the year. No other problem gambling support provider was tapped to participate at such a level.
While we’re certainly proud of our executive team’s achievement in becoming the leading voice of gambling awareness, our biggest point of pride is found in this year’s track record of successful treatment outcomes for clients (view here). The two “accolades” are tethered together, however, because in being deemed the leading voice in gambling awareness, the credibility of our virtual counseling platform is cemented in the eyes of millions in need of problem gambling support for themselves or loved ones.
Below are links to learn more about Kindbridge’s involvement in some of the most notable conversations on gambling awareness in 2025:
- Kindbridge Speaks at 2025 National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) Winter Meeting in Puerto Rico
- Kindbridge Headlines International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) Conference on Gambling and Addiction 2025
- Kindbridge Spearheads Conversation at Ohio State University (USA) Panel on the Cost of Problem Gambling
- Kindbridge CEO and Founder Daniel Umfleet Interviewed on Mindful Money Podcast
- Kindbridge’s Daniel Umfleet Interviewed by Gambling.com’s “The Edge”
- Kindbridge Leads Discussion at 2025 G7 Summit Panel on Problem Gambling
Tap here to view all 2025 announcements and press releases regarding our rise as America’s leading platform for gambling awareness.
Sports Trading Markets Launched, Challenged, and Stuck Landing
Prediction markets are exchange-traded platforms where participants can “invest” on the outcome of various social, cultural, economic, meteorological, and political events with an unknown future. Prediction market trading has been around for years, but became a mainstream point of contention at the end of 2024 when leading operators raked in billions of dollars after offering betting lines on the U.S. presidential election. Debate about the nature of the product – which is monitored by the CFTC and not gambling regulators – ramped up in the first fiscal quarter of 2025, as prediction market sites added sports to their platforms. Many state regulators went in an uproar, suggesting that sports trading is essentially the same thing as sports betting, and as such, should fall under their jurisdiction and not the CFTC. Despite being sent Cease & Desist letters from regulators across numerous U.S. states, sports trading operators stood their ground and federal governing bodies have taken no action against them. Seeing the writing on the digital wall, America’s leading DFS and sports betting operators have partnered with prediction market operators to offer online sports trading and subsequently expand their reach to U.S. states that currently do not allow sports betting. On December 19, 2025, DraftKings launched its first sports trading product. FanDuel is slated to follow suit before the end of the annum.
Never has there been such a fast rise of a gambling (or gambling adjacent) product. This growth has stakeholders scrambling to adapt. Within this group are public health officials and mental health support providers who are preparing to accommodate an anticipated increase in demand for help from millions who are prone to impulsive gambling behavior.
Below are links to learn more about prediction market sports trading, as covered by Kindbridge in real-time through 2025, which provides a chronological accounting of its unprecedented rise:
- Is America Ready for Prediction Market Gambling?
- Is Sports Trading the Newest Gambling Awareness Concern?
- NFL Football Prediction Market Trading; Are You Protected?
- 2025-26 Map of U.S. States Where Sports Trading is Legal
Sweepstakes Casino Industry Faces Major Setback
Prediction market sports trading was challenged and came out on top in 2025. The same can’t be said for sweepstakes casinos (aka social casinos). Sweepstakes casinos are marketed as being free-play casinos, and for the last few years have been able to navigate the legalities of America’s strict laws against online casinos. However, these platforms contain a real money element that has stakeholders and Responsible Gaming watchdogs concerned, and these manifested to become a big problem for operators in 2025. The future of the industry was a hot topic at the 2025 Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, with industry stakeholders warning that the era of the gambling adjacent product may be coming to an end. Since then, a wave of legal challenges have resulted in the shutdown of social casinos in key U.S. states, with California being the most recent to take action. Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed Assembly Bill 831 (AB 831), which prohibits sweepstakes-based social casinos from operating in California starting January 1, 2026. It’s a move that was backed by California Tribes. It also includes a crackdown on celebrity influencers who promote social and sweepstakes casino games.
Will sweepstakes casinos be swept away from the regulated gaming space in 2026? Maybe, maybe not. At the December 11-14, 2025, NCLGS committee panel on gambling awareness, operators of sweepstakes casinos were invited for the first time to provide their perspective. They hoped to demonstrate how they may fit within America’s gaming landscape in a manner that protects the interests of all involved. Kindbridge will follow these developments closely. For the time being, we encourage readers to reference the following resources of sweepstakes casinos:
- Different Forms of Gambling You Didn’t Know About
- 2025-26 Map of U.S. States with Legal Online Casinos (sweepstakes included)
Athlete Gambling Vulnerabilities Exposed (again)
Since the 2018 removal of the federal ban on sports betting, nearly every major sports league and organization has been touched by athlete gambling scandals. 2025 was the year of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in this unfortunate category. Heading into Q4 of 2025, the NBA was rocked by a major federal gambling scandal in which more than 30 people (including players and coaches) were arrested and indicted for illegal betting and related crimes. Prosecutors alleged defendants exploited non-public NBA information to place or inform lucrative bets on games and player prop markets, leading to charges such as wire fraud and money laundering. Members of the mafia were also implicated.
Despite U.S. based leagues and organizations having stringent policies regarding personnel conduct to protect the integrity of professional sports, cases of violations persist. In some instances, blatant acts of criminal behavior are a matter of choice, but in others there may be underlying mental and behavioral health concerns at play. While professional athletes are elite in their sport, they are human and struggle with the same mental and behavioral health conditions as the general public. In some cases, they exhibit higher prevalence rates for certain issues, with research confirming that problematic gambling behavior is among them. Organized criminals understand this. They exploit athlete vulnerabilities and leverage player prop betting markets to fix game/event outcomes.
Athlete gambling vulnerability is a complex issue, and one that needs to be explored with greater fervor in 2026. Amateur, collegiate, and professional athletes along with those charged with their wellbeing are encouraged to reference the following resources to learn more:
- Why Do Athletes Gamble More Than Others?
- Should Aspiring Athletes Stay Away from Gambling?
- Match Fixers Bet on Athlete Vulnerabilities
- Athletes Abuse by Angry Sports Bettors
- List of Athletes Suspended for Gambling Since 2018
Stay tuned throughout 2026 as Kindbridge continues to cover important developments relating gambling awareness and how each may impact public wellness. Meanwhile, if you or a loved one struggles to maintain a healthy relationship with casino gaming, sports betting, prediction market trading, or any other digital products/service, connect to our virtual counseling platform for help.
