When the US Supreme Court legalized sports betting, states were quick to get in on the action. But as lawmakers grow reliant on taxes from betting, what do they owe problem gamblers?
What makes the NFL’s embrace of gambling so striking is that for most of its history, the league had pushed the government for stricter regulations – not more lenient ones.
No one can say Australian sport is worse off without tobacco ads. We can protect a new generation of young sports fans from harm by following other nations’ lead – and phasing out gambling ads.
In the 1970s, the Anti-Cancer Council launched a concerted, evidence-based public health campaign to end tobacco advertising – and many of their strategies could be used today on gambling advertising.
With few regulations in place, gambling companies are going all-in to attract as many customers as possible – with younger, sports-obsessed and smartphone-savvy Americans particularly vulnerable.
Researchers who analyzed every sports bet placed online since 2018 found that young adults are the fastest-growing group of bettors, with more than 70% of them placing in-game bets.
Sports wagering apps bring in-play betting right to the palm of your hand. Easy, ever-present access can lead to excitement and fun – or problem gambling.
The opportunity to place bets has changed the way games look, the way they’re talked about – and, of course, how many people have money riding on the outcome.