States have taken the lead on menthol cigarette bans and must do the same with respect to sports betting. A 2023 report by the New Jersey attorney general found that about 28 percent of high-risk problem gamblers reported suicidal ideation, 20 percent said they had attempted suicide, and 26 percent reported engaging in non-suicidal self-injury. That group includes 19 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds.

If states nevertheless continue to legalize sports betting, then they should also restrict participation to players 21 and older, impose strict advertising regulations and require granular all-player data collection to track and address the life-or-death risks resulting from sports betting and other forms of gambling.

Mark S. Sternman, Somerville, Mass.