WVU Researcher Links Social Security Payment Days to Rise in West Virginia Gambling

A doctoral student at West Virginia University says he has identified a pattern in the state: gambling activity appears to climb when Social Security payments are issued. Matt Mullis argues that money intended to support vulnerable residents may be associated with increased betting, particularly among older adults.

According to Mullis, around 16,000 people placed as many as 43 million bets, which he describes as a sizeable share of the total. His research points to higher demand for Hot Spot mobile slot machines on days when retirees receive their benefits, namely the second, third and fourth Wednesdays of the month. He suggests this may indicate that some recipients are putting their payments into gambling products. He also voiced concern about the promotion of gambling by well-known figures and celebrities, which he believes could encourage excessive behavior.

Mullis also notes that iGaming is on the rise in West Virginia, with each month seemingly setting a new record. At the same time, he acknowledges that regulators face a difficult balance, since licensed products such as sports betting and lotteries often generate substantial tax revenue for states.

Sheila Moran, director of marketing and communications at 1-800-GAMBLER, described the problems seen among older callers. She said calls from older adults are among the saddest, because they often lack the time to recover lost money. Some are already struggling to choose between groceries and prescription drugs, and may think that gambling could double their money and help them afford those necessities.

The warning is consistent with research published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, which says a lack of resources to cover harmful levels of gambling spending appears to be particularly common among older adults. The paper states that they have less time and fewer financial means to recover from the social, financial, medical and psychiatric consequences of disordered gambling.

The findings are the claims of a single doctoral researcher and are not presented as a formal regulatory conclusion. They do, however, add to the ongoing discussion about responsible gambling safeguards, marketing practices and the exposure of older residents as online products expand in the state.