Gone are the days of leaving your home state to go gamble in Vegas or Atlantic City. Thanks to the modern web and technological advancements that have come along the way, you can now gamble while sitting on your couch.
How did a topic once taboo, become so normalized in today’s world?
In 2018, the Supreme Court made the decision to allow state-sponsored sports betting. As of today, sports betting is legal in 39 states and Washington, D.C. As soon as the decision passed, companies such as Bet MGM, Draft Kings and FanDuel immediately became recognizable names in the industry.
In a study conducted by The University of Bristol, it was found that viewers of the Stanley Cup Finals this past summer encountered an average of 3.5 marketing messages every minute from betting firms. This equates to one message every 17 seconds. Combining the NHL and NBA finals, across all 13 games, there were 6,282 gambling related instances like pop up betting lines and advertisements. Six NHL broadcasts were responsible for 94% of them.
From the study, it’s clear that betting companies have a chokehold on sports. In 2024, according to the American Gaming Association, the American Sports Betting Industry posted revenue of $13.71 billion, $2.5 billion more than in 2023.
So how are these companies making all this money if they’re spending so much on advertisements? Why would someone want to take a chance on their financial security? Well, it’s the same reason we spend so much time on social media.
If you take one look at websites like Stake or Rainbet, you will see the connection. It’s the same reason why slots have so many users despite having the worst odds for winning.
Similar to Instagram or TikTok, you never know what you’ll get when you scroll. Maybe it’s a funny meme or a sports highlight, other times it’s an ad. These online casinos and websites do everything to pull you in, and just like any addiction, once you’re in, you’re a buyer for life.
These buyers are typically young to middle-aged men. In 2023, a report from the NCAA revealed 58% of 18-22 year olds had engaged in sports betting at least once. The activity is even more widespread on college campuses, where 67% of students are bettors.
There is a clear absence in the knowledge of gambling as well, as 16% of these students consider themselves to be risky bettors, while 6% have lost at least $500 in a single day. Of these risky gamblers, 70% believe gambling will increase their overall earnings.
The National Council on Problem Gambling states between 60% to 80% of high school students have placed bets. While not all of these are sports related, it is a large chunk of the pie.
The biggest reason as to why gambling is so normalized is because there is little to no education about it. We have education against smoking, vaping, drinking, eating unhealthy food and now screentime on phones and how they all cause addiction if left unchecked. There is none of that for gambling.
Studies have shown those who start gambling as adolescents are at a much greater risk of gambling addiction in the future. Additionally, 18-24 year olds are targeted much more as their prefrontal cortex is yet to fully develop. This leads to more impulsive and higher risk decisions, rather than taking in facts and making responsible decisions.
Through education against the dangers of gambling — specifically sports betting — people who are having problems, or are in danger of developing them, can get the education and help they may need.
There are resources for those who need help, like the national hotline (1-800-426-2527). To prevent these problems from continuing, early intervention should be the goal. Middle schools and high schools across America should implement some sort of gambling education into their curriculum.
Gambling can be a fun social thing for friends, but it can quickly turn into addiction if left unchecked.
