It’s Official: Study Says Maine Does Not Have a Gambling Problem

In a world where even Utah (yes, that Utah) has underground gambling, Maine has managed to keep its cool—and its cash. According to a new WalletHub study, we are officially the #4 least gambling-addicted state in the U.S. That’s right, while other states are rolling the dice on rent money, Mainers are doing other things with our cash... or at least most of us.

The study looked at 20 key factors, like lottery sales. Crazy, right? I feel like everytime I'm in Cumby's, there's at least two people in front of me cashing in on some scratchies and exchanging their winnings for more.

They also looked at factors like illegal gambling operations, and the number of adults struggling with gambling addiction. And while the gambling industry pulled in a record-breaking $71.9 billion last year, U.S. consumers lost over $100 billion in the process, that coming from the American Gaming Association. For some people, gambling can become a full-blown disorder—one that wrecks bank accounts, jobs, and relationships.

But here in Maine? Apparently we’re just not that into it. With only two casinos—Oxford Casino in Oxford and Hollywood Slots in Bangor—our temptation levels are about as low as our Wi-Fi signal in the woods.

We like to keep things simple: scratch tickets at the gas station, maybe a fantasy football league that ends in someone forgetting to collect the prize.

After all of this, it is worth shouting out our neighbors to the east. Vermont is just ahead of us as the #3 least gambling addicted state. Who are the top 5 most addicted, according to WalletHub? Well, #1 sure won't surprise you.

1. Nevada

2. South Dakota

3. Montana

4. Pennsylvania

5. Mississippi

Here's how the rest of the country shook out:

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 211 for help.