Advocates call for more support for women affected by problem gambling in the US

Advocates in the United States are calling for more attention to be paid to women with gambling problems, a group they say is often overlooked in treatment and research. The issue was raised in comments to USA Today by two figures working in the field.

Christina Cook runs The Broke Girl Society, a podcast that aims to give women with gambling problems a supportive space. She said she gambled for 15 years before seeking help, and found very few resources when she did. In her words, she did not see herself or her story in recovery rooms or in the wider conversation, which is what led her to start the project.

Cook pointed to figures from the National Problem Gambling Hotline, which says there are up to 11 million problem gamblers in the United States. Women made up 29% of callers in 2025. Cook argues that this data is skewed. She said women experience harm faster than men, a pattern she described as telescoping, and noted that without funding for research, analysts have little to rely on beyond helpline data. She also questioned how many younger people, in particular, actually call helplines.

Jody Bechtold, CEO of the Better Institute of Pittsburgh, also spoke to USA Today. She said she had grown tired of the focus falling mainly on young male sports bettors, and that many other people struggle with gambling and deserve proper attention. In her view, there should be more discussion of women with gambling problems.

Cook said the 12-step recovery approach she uses works well when it is delivered in a space created specifically for women, where they feel safe to speak openly. She identified one common root cause: for many women, gambling feels like an escape. She described women who are managing bills and caring for children and family, and who lose a sense of themselves, with gambling offering a brief moment of feeling good.

The comments come as exposure to gambling keeps growing, and advocates argue that addressing the needs of previously overlooked groups, women among them, is an important part of the response to gambling harm.