US Service Members Needing Help With Gambling Addiction
- A government report shows that active-duty service members are struggling with gambling addiction.
- The report claims that 185 members had a gambling-related diagnosis in fiscal year 2024.
- There are more than 3,100 slot machines across 12 U.S. overseas military bases.
WASHINGTON – A concerning number of American soldiers struggle with gambling addiction, according to a recent government report. With the constant expansion of casinos and legal USA gambling, active-duty service members are paying the price.
“According to a 2021 academic study looking at gambling and military service, service members may be more likely to have problem gambling issues than the general population due to demographic risk factors”
A 2025 report published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office featured that quote, plus a plethora of other data that provides awareness to problem gambling in the military. The most staggering data shows a record-high number of active-duty service members with a gambling-related diagnosis, which includes gambling disorders and other conditions involving gambling.
| Fiscal Year | Service Members With Gambling-Related Diagnosis |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 136 |
| 2020 | 109 |
| 2021 | 102 |
| 2022 | 122 |
| 2023 | 169 |
| 2024 | 185 |
To put it in perspective, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 authorized 445,000 Army members, 337,000 Navy members, 320,000 Air Force members, and 172,300 Marine Corps members.
Military Struggle With Gambling, More Reports Expected
While the data can’t completely capture how prevalent gambling disorders are in the military since some members reuse medical treatment, it does show the members who went for medical diagnoses regarding gambling-related conditions from fiscal year 2019-2024. A survey asked military service members if they had gambled at online casinos that accept USA players or in-person casinos in the last 12 months, and 4.8% said yes.
Of those members, 2.7% said they have become irritable, restless, or anxious when trying to stop gambling in the last 12 months. The Department of Defense is working on internally reporting on the prevalence of gambling in the military, and an annual report is anticipated for June 2026.