Gamblers in Florida report the highest losses per session of any state, with the average loss on a “bad day” reaching a staggering $4,436 per person.
Online poker affiliate platform VIP Grinders surveyed 2,000 American adults to uncover gambling habits across the country, revealing where losses are greatest and where gamblers are most likely to hide the true amount of their spending from their loved ones.
The numbers show that 38% (more than a third) of Florida gamblers admit to lying about a loss to someone close to them, such as a partner, family member or close friend.
This finding is especially concerning since calls to Florida’s gambling addiction helpline increased by 138% between 2023 and 2025.
The average gambler across the United States reported the worst single-session loss ever of $4,632. But beyond the financial impact, these losses are often hidden from loved ones, with 40% admitting to lying to loved ones about the loss.
When applied to the U.S. gambling population as a whole, this suggests that approximately 31 million Americans who gamble have kept their gambling losses a secret, revealing the scale of the financial secrecy surrounding gambling.
“Part of the problem is that social media and influencer culture have spent years framing gambling as a way to make money, hiding losses and showing wins, and creating unrealistic expectations about what gambling is like in general,” said Joan Murat, head of product at VIP Grinders.
“The reality is that most people will lose as part of the experience. But when that happens, people are more likely to feel embarrassed than to see it as a normal part of entertainment,” Mulatto said.
