Pentagon to spend $400M researching growing issue among military personnel

Nearly $400 million has been approved to research gambling addiction among military personnel.

Thanks to the Fiscal 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump on Feb. 3, the Department of Defense will be able to use the money to work on 240 research areas, including gambling issues and gambling addiction among service members.

The approval was made after the nonprofit organization, National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) joined forces with gambling companies BetMGM, MGM Resorts and FanDuel to ask senate appropriators to include funding for gambling research in the Pentagon’s fiscal 2026 budget bill.

According to a 2022 Defense Department Health Related Behaviors Survey, 1.6% of active-duty service members reported a problem with gambling and 1.7% of reserve members screen positive for a gambling addiction, Defense News reported.

With that being said, NCPG Executive Director Heather Maurer highlighted that research on the impact of gambling on the military community has been lacking.

“This is an important step forward,” Maurer said in a statement. “For the first time, federal research funding is being made available to study gambling addition. This development is especially critical for service members and veterans who face elevated risk and have historically been underserved by research.”

Gambling addiction is associated with a dramatically elevated suicide risk, NCPG explains. Among veterans seeking treatment for a gambling problem, nearly 40% report having attempted suicide.

“This inclusion sends a clear signal that gambling addiction is a public health issue, not a stigma” Maurer added. “When we invest in research, we reduce stigma, improve care and build the knowledge needed to protect individuals, families and readiness.”