Causal Research on the Impacts of Legalized Sports Betting Grant

Arnold Ventures is funding causal research to investigate the impacts of legalized sports betting, which has rapidly expanded since the 2018 Supreme Court decision. With over 38 states now participating, there is a pressing need to understand the financial, social, and behavioral effects on individuals and households. This initiative aims to produce actionable insights for policymakers and regulators, addressing key questions about consumer behavior, regulatory influences, and broader public-sector implications.

Arnold Ventures
Arnold Ventures (AV) is a philanthropy dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidencebased policy solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice. By funding rigorous research, we strive to better understand the root causes of problems and build the evidence about what works to solve them. Using this research, we advocate for policy reforms at all levels of government and build durable, bipartisan coalitions to drive lasting change and impact.
The Opportunity
In the years since the U.S. Supreme Court 2018 Murphy v. NCAA decision, 38 states have legalized sports betting, rapidly reshaping the consumer finance, behavioral health, and regulatory landscape. Participating states have also benefited from a significant new source of tax revenue, collecting more than $1.8 billion in 2023 alone, according to the Tax Foundation. Despite the scope and speed of legalization, little is known about the individual- and household-level financial, social, and behavioral impacts of legalized sports betting. In the absence of rigorous research, state and federal decision-makers must navigate high-stakes choices without a robust evidence base.
This RFP seeks to address that gap by funding rigorous, causal research that deepens our understanding of the financial, social, and behavioral impacts of legalized sports betting. This RFP will support both Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) and rigorous Quasi-Experimental Designs (QEDs).
Studies that can inform policy might examine betting-related outcomes, compare regulatory approaches, or test interventions aimed at changing behavior. While we are open to a range of possible research questions, we offer a set of questions below to highlight areas of particular interest for this RFP:

• What are the financial, social, and behavioral impacts of legalized sports betting at the individual or household level?

Projects might examine financial outcomes such as changes in credit scores, debt accumulation, delinquencies, or bankruptcy filings. Behavioral outcomes might include chasing losses, betting with borrowed money, or difficulty stopping. Social outcomes might include educational attainment, labor market outcomes, or interactions with the criminal justice system.
How do different policies and state regulatory frameworks influence consumer behavior and outcomes?
Researchers might compare the effects of policy features such as betting limits, deposit restrictions, self-exclusion requirements, licensing regimes, or promotional variation.
How does platform and product design influence betting behavior and outcomes?
Studies might assess the impacts of interface features such as gamification, promotions, or app integration (e.g., casino and sports betting).
What are the broader public-sector impacts of betting legalization?
Proposals might examine effects on tax revenue, addiction treatment demand, public benefit participation, deterrence of illegal betting markets, financial hardship during tax refund periods, job creation, economic growth, tourism and hospitality revenue, or interactions with the criminal justice or health care systems.
What are the effects of advertising and the normalization of sports betting?
Projects might explore how exposure to sports betting—especially through sports media, influencer marketing, social media platforms, and via promotions—shapes attitudes, uptake, and risky engagement, particularly among young men.