Forget Vegas — some of America’s biggest gambling losses are happening far from America’s casino capital.
An eye-popping new survey of 2,000 gamblers by independent poker and iGaming affiliate VIP Grinders found Nevada, home to America’s most famous casino floors, doesn’t even crack the top 10 list for states with the biggest gambling losers.
The national average for a worst-ever single-session gambling loss sits at roughly $4,632, the May poll found.
While the Silver State sits at No. 12 for top losses, Arizona is running the table for first place, with residents reporting an average worst-ever single-session loss of a staggering $14,989.
That’s the worst in the survey, and 43% — nearly half — admitted they’ve tried to keep those busted bets under the radar from the people closest to them.
Mississippi lands in second place with highest average losses of $9,744, but it hits the jackpot in one category nobody wants to win: secrecy. An astonishing 59% of gamblers admitted concealing losses from loved ones — the highest rate in the nation, followed by Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, respectively.
Iowa is dealt the third spot, with residents losing nearly $9,346 on their worst gambling days. Nearly $3 billion was wagered in the state last year, and around 12% of Iowa gamblers are placing bets every other day or more.
Oregon — with an average loss of $9,346 — and Michigan — with losses averaging $9,166 — take fourth and fifth place, respectively. California gets in on the action in sixth place with an average loss of $6,615 followed by Georgia at $6,562
The Empire State ranked eighth, with highest average losses of $6,221. New York processed a staggering $2.3 billion in sports bets during March alone — more than anywhere else in the country.
The gender divide is equally striking. Men reported average losses of $12,359 — almost double the $6,325 reported by women, and are more likely to keep their gambling habits close to the vest.
The gambling industry needs to stop stacking the deck by only showing the winners, Joao Mourato, head of iGaming Product at VIP-Grinders, told The Post.
“Part of the issue is that social media and influencer culture have spent years framing gambling as a way to make money, showing the wins and hiding the losses,” he said.
“When people inevitably lose, and most sessions end that way by design, they feel ashamed rather than recognizing it as a normal part of entertainment they chose to pay for. The more transparency there is around real gambling behavior, the easier it becomes for people to talk openly about it.”
