Hawaii is 27th most gambling-addicted state despite no legal gambling options

A new study has ranked US states by their levels of problem gambling prevalence, with casino-heavy states Nevada and South Dakota leading the pack.

The study, which was conducted by financial fitness firm WalletHub, compared states on two specific categories, including ‘gambling-friendliness,’ which takes into account the availability of gambling options, including casinos, lotteries, the legality of daily fantasy sports, sports betting and horseracing, plus the presence of illegal gambling operations.

The second category ranked states on ‘gambling problem & treatment,’ which includes criteria such as the number of state residents with diagnosed gambling disorders, the availability of problem gambling treatment options and the number of gambling-related arrests.

Nevada topped the ‘most addicted’ ranking with an overall score of 57, narrowly edging out runner-up South Dakota’s 56.62. The two states tied for the most number of casinos per capita, and ranked #1 and #2 respectively in gaming machines per capita. South Dakota also tied for highest lottery sales in the nation, while Nevada lacks a state lottery.