West Virginia University has begun a three-year study into loss chasing and other risky online-betting behaviour, a project funded by a nearly $300,000 grant from Arnold Ventures. The work is being led through the John Chambers College of Business and Economics and its Center for Gaming Research and Development.
According to WVU Today, the researchers will use real-time data from state gaming operators to look for patterns in risky betting and the triggers that push people toward loss chasing, the habit of continuing to gamble in an effort to recover previous losses. Brad Humphreys, a professor of economics at WVU, said some people are placing hundreds of bets on sporting events in a single month through online operators.
State lawmakers enacted the Responsible Gaming Research and Industry Development Act in 2024, requiring operators to share timely online gaming data with WVU. Humphreys says that information offers a detailed picture of gamblers’ decision-making before and after a significant loss.
The university says the project will not only identify harmful behaviour, but also help turn the findings into interventions. Humphreys said that if losses can be identified, operators can design responses, including pausing accounts to prevent further financial harm. He also said that if research shows a near-miss parlay bet pushes people into loss chasing, that would give operators a point at which to step in.
West Virginia is one of 38 states where online sports betting is legal, and one of seven where iGaming is legal. WVU says nearly 90% of sports bets in the state are parlays, which are wagers on two or more outcomes that only pay off if every leg wins.
The Center for Gaming Research and Development says its mission is to promote responsible gaming and consumer protection in gaming markets. It also says West Virginians’ access to gaming markets has expanded in recent years, while problem gambling, though relatively rare, remains a persistent source of financial and emotional harm that can be reduced by monitoring consumer activity.
Joshua Hall, the Milan Puskar dean of the Chambers College, said the grant positions Humphreys and the center to generate insights that help policymakers, industry stakeholders and public health professionals make data-driven decisions as online gaming expands.
