10 states with the worst gambling addictions
Gambling disorder is a serious problem that affects slightly more than 2% of all U.S. adults, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. Not only does it cost the economy an estimated $6 billion per year, the council says, a male addict may carry as much as $90,000 in debt, while one estimate pegs women's at $15,000.
To identify the states most addicted to gambling, WalletHub analysts recently gathered 13 relevant analytics, which were given a value between 0 and 100, with 100 representing the highest dependency on gambling and 0 the lowest. They calculated the overall score for each state using the weighted average across all metrics, then ranked the states accordingly.
Read on to see which states face the greatest issues when it comes to gambling. And, remember, high levels of debt affect not just your wallet, but also your credit score. You can see how your current debts are affecting your credit by viewing your two free credit scores, updated each month, on Credit.com.
10. North Dakota
Total Score: 38.96
Gambling Friendliness: 8
Gambling Problem & Treatment: 37
9. Delaware
Total Score: 40.84
Gambling Friendliness: 6
Gambling Problem & Treatment: 36
8. Oregon
Total Score: 43.86
Gambling Friendliness: 5
Gambling Problem & Treatment: 38
7. New Jersey
Total Score: 44.66
Gambling Friendliness: 9
Gambling Problem & Treatment: 10
6. West Virginia
Total Score: 45.15
Gambling Friendliness: 7
Gambling Problem & Treatment: 11
5. Oklahoma
Total Score: 46.70
Gambling Friendliness: 4
Gambling Problem & Treatment: 31
4. Montana
Total Score: 48.75
Gambling Friendliness: 3
Gambling Problem & Treatment: 38
3. Mississippi
Total Score: 48.94
Gambling Friendliness: 13
Gambling Problem & Treatment: 1
2. South Dakota
Total Score: 56.62
Gambling Friendliness: 1
Gambling Problem & Treatment: 28
1. Nevada
Total Score: 57.00
Gambling Friendliness: 2
Gambling Problem & Treatment: 12
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This article originally appeared on Credit.com.
