The Kindbridge Research Institute has released a report titled Gambling among First Responders in the United States. This study was conducted by EPIC Global Solutions with funding from the Colorado Division of Gaming. A total of 507 active firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and rescue workers participated in an online survey, while 281 out of 788 responses were discarded during the validity check. Here are the key findings highlighted by iGN:
Prevalence of Gambling:
94.5% of respondents have gambled in the last 12 months.
31% have gambled two or more days a week.
44% of gamblers meet the criteria for problem gambling.
39% are considered at-risk gamblers.
41% and 36% represent the shares of problem gamblers and at-risk individuals across the entire sample.
Problem Gambling by Profession:
49% of firefighters.
42% of police officers.
42% of emergency medical service (EMS) personnel.
39% of emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
Military Experience:
69.6% of active military personnel show signs of problem gambling.
52.5% among veterans.
35.6% among those who have never served.
Active military personnel are 11.4 times more likely to experience problem gambling compared to non-veterans.
Formats and Mental Health:
Online sports betting is the most popular activity, reported by 345 out of 507 participants, followed by online casinos (192), online lotteries (171), and online fantasy sports (166).
50% of participants screened positive for potential PTSD symptoms.
Severe PTSD symptoms and poorer mental health outcomes are linked to a higher risk of gambling problems.
According to the KRI program director, first responders work in environments constantly exposed to traumatic events and unpredictable stress. However, gambling has received significantly less attention in this context compared to PTSD and professional burnout.
The authors recommend integrating gambling problem screenings into existing mental health support programs and developing preventive initiatives tailored to specific employee categories. The results will be presented on September 9 at the EASG 2026 conference in Copenhagen.
The authors describe their findings as preliminary and note certain limitations. The status of some participants was not independently verified, and the study was openly positioned as focused on gambling, which may have attracted a more engaged audience and inflated estimates. Additionally, the sample geography is not representative of the country. Participants could also indicate multiple professional roles, so the authors did not establish a precise link between role and gambling behavior.