The Whelan group operates three Tennessee clinics with a network of mental health specialists for people looking for help. Before the launch of online sports bookmakers in November 2020, the Tennesseans rarely asked for advice for sports betting. In the past two years, 55% at 60% of customers have been men who have cited sports betting as a type of main game, said Whelan.
While states generally regulate retail and online sports betting, legislators often pay less attention to potential public health damage, the study said.