Oregon Sports Betting Fails to Protect Residents, Report Finds

The state's monopoly provider, DraftKings, makes gambling and addiction easier than ever, experts say.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A new report from the nonprofit Center for Addiction Science, Policy, and Research (CASPR) gives Oregon an 'F' grade for how well it protects residents from online gambling addiction. The state allows a monopoly provider, DraftKings, to offer sports betting, which studies show is more addictive than other forms of gambling. Oregon also actively promotes online betting, unlike most other states with legal sports gambling.

Why it matters

The report highlights growing concerns about the harm caused by unfettered online gambling access, especially in states like Oregon that have a monopoly provider and lack robust consumer protections. With an estimated 88,000 Oregonians suffering from gambling disorders and another 180,000 at risk, the report argues the state is prioritizing gambling revenue over public health.

The details

According to the CASPR report, Oregon scored just 43 out of 100 on measures of consumer protection, placing it in the bottom 10 states. Unlike 29 other states, Oregon does not maintain a self-exclusion list that allows problem gamblers to ban themselves from all online gambling. The state also actively promotes online betting, including advertising DraftKings' Super Bowl prop bets. Experts say the 24/7 availability of online sports betting makes addiction and bankruptcy more likely for Oregonians.

  • In early February 2026, the Oregon Lottery's website promoted Super Bowl bets on DraftKings.
  • On March 9, 2026, the CASPR report giving Oregon an 'F' grade was released.

The players

Center for Addiction Science, Policy, and Research (CASPR)

A nonprofit organization that evaluates state policies related to gambling addiction and protection.

DraftKings

The monopoly provider of online sports betting in Oregon.

Tina Kotek

The Governor of Oregon.

Nicholas Reville

The executive director of CASPR.

Kitty Martz

The executive director of Voices of Problem Gambling Recovery in Portland.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“For a state like Oregon, there's just a lot of harm happening to citizens, and it's not really bringing a lot of benefit.”

— Nicholas Reville, Executive Director, CASPR (sweethomenews.com)

“Oregon's 'lack of regulatory guardrails for the prediction markets becomes not only concerning on a gambling harm level, but an ethical level.”

— Kitty Martz, Executive Director, Voices of Problem Gambling Recovery (sweethomenews.com)

What’s next

The Oregon Legislature is expected to review the CASPR report and consider new legislation to strengthen consumer protections and oversight of the state's online gambling industry.

The takeaway

This report underscores the need for Oregon to prioritize public health over gambling revenue by implementing robust safeguards against online gambling addiction, which disproportionately harms vulnerable residents.