US government must do more to help gambling addicts as it makes billions off sports betting, expert says

Keith Whyte, the executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, on how the U.S. government should help addicts.

With football season in full swing this time of year, sportsbooks across the country are counting their millions as bettors in more than 34 states and Washington, D.C., lock in for hopeful paydays at kickoff.

But as legendary golfer and recovering gambling addict Phil Mickelson said recently on social media, "I crossed the line of moderation and into addiction, which isn’t any fun at all." Mickelson was reminding everyone out there that, while sports betting can be fun in moderation, there are many who are struggling with gambling addiction.

"Problem gambling is a hidden addiction. It’s hidden in plain sight everywhere," Keith Whyte, the executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.

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Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling Kevin Whyte believes the U.S. government needs to make more effort to help those with gambling addiction.

Whyte says football season is the bread and butter for sportsbooks that have thrived since the expansion of legalized sports gambling. He estimates that around 70% of all sports bets made in a year come during football season, both professional and collegiate games.

While sportsbooks, and even the National Football League, promote the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline for those who wish to help themselves or their loved ones, Whyte believes the federal government needs to do more to tackle gambling addiction across the country.

"Problem gambling has been a public health issue for a long time," Whyte explained. "There’s now a lot more recognition