How Gambling Impacts Crime Differently in the US and Around the World
American researchers found violent crime rising by as much as 93 per cent after games in betting states, sparking headlines worldwide. We examine whether that pattern holds up internationally.
Researchers at the University of Michigan and Rice University published findings that violent crime spiked by up to 93 per cent on game days in U.S. states that legalised sports betting. But does their pattern hold when extended worldwide?
Their study, analysing FBI crime data from 2017 to 2021, isolated a narrow window. They found that reports of assaults, larceny, and vehicle theft surged from kickoff through four hours after a game in the 38 states that adopted betting after a landmark 2018 Supreme Court decision.
World of Crime found that the US pattern is not isolated. Similar crime increases tied to gambling legalization have been documented in Australia, Japan, Sweden, and Canada, among others.
