Slot machine play spikes on Social Security paydays, a West Virginia researcher finds. And at 1 online casino, 43M bets came from about 16K players

A West Virginia researcher who analyzes state data on gaming activities found that 43 million slot bets were placed through one operator in a single month. And those bets were placed by just 16,000 players.

“In West Virginia, pretty much everything is legal,” Matt Mullis, a doctoral student researcher at the West Virginia University (WVU) Center for Gaming Research and Development, told My Buckhannon.

His expertise is iGaming, or online gambling, which includes online poker and slots. And, he says, “It seems like every month West Virginia sets a new record for iGaming revenue.”

But his research has also uncovered an interesting data point: demand for Hot Spot mobile slot machines increases on days when retirees receive their Social Security payments (every second, third and fourth Wednesday).

That means some retirees may be spending part of their benefit on slots. But what’s the line between having fun and developing an addiction?

The rise of online gambling

Not that long ago, gambling required a physical trip to the casino. But now you can access online casinos, mobile gambling platforms and sports betting apps from the comfort of a recliner in your living room.

So it may come as no surprise that gambling is hitting record-breaking highs. In 2025, the U.S. casino gaming industry raked in more than $78 billion in revenues — that’s from both physical casinos and online platforms.

While there’s been a lot of focus on how young adults are particularly vulnerable to gambling disorder (GD), there’s another demographic at risk: seniors.

The proliferation of online betting platforms makes gambling much more accessible to seniors with mobility issues or chronic health issues — and cognitive issues could impair their judgment.

“The geriatric population is uniquely vulnerable to GD due to age-related cognitive decline,” according to a study published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (AJGP). This includes “reduced executive function, decreased speed of processing, diminished risk evaluation, and impaired impulse control.”

Even medications can play a role.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that dopamine agonists commonly prescribed for Parkinson’s disease may increase compulsive behaviors, including gambling addiction, because of how the drugs affect the brain’s reward system,” according to LTC News.

Social drivers, too, play a key role, from loneliness and isolation to bereavement and shrinking social circles, which “further promote engagement in online gambling as a source of social connection and coping,” according to the AJGP study.

Online casinos can provide that succor to fill the void.

“They go after the seniors,” Gary Schneider, a recovering gambling addict, told AARP. “Online casinos know exactly who they’re talking to. A lonely older person gets a call from a concierge and has someone to talk to. It’s a con game.”

For those on a fixed income, a gambling addiction can be devastating.

The financial risks

If a gambling app is tied to your credit card, it’s easy to lose track of how much you’re spending — and then be shocked when you get your bill.

But retirement is an exceptionally bad time to develop a gambling problem.

“Lack of resources to cover the damaging level of gambling expenditure appears to be specific to older adults,” according to research published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. “They have less time and fewer financial resources to recover from social, financial and, particularly, the medical and psychiatric consequences resulting from disordered gambling.”

Of course, not everyone who gambles in retirement has a gambling addiction.

So how do you know it’s becoming a problem? If you’re using retirement savings to fund a gambling habit, particularly if you’re forgoing basic needs like groceries or medication, that’s a red flag. Another red flag is lying or hiding your gambling habit from others.

“Research also suggests pension distributions, investment withdrawals, and Social Security deposits may create periods of elevated gambling risk for vulnerable individuals,” according to LTC News.