Sports-Betting Harms, Mental Health Evidence and State Safeguards

New Jersey is the first state to require operators to monitor player data for problem-gambling signs and provide escalating support and intervention; free RecoverMe access is also being offered. A claims-based study reports 5–7% increases in selected mental-health prescriptions and diagnoses associated with legalization comparisons, without proving betting caused those outcomes. Enforcement, effectiveness, and whether similar safeguards should cover prediction markets remain open questions.