The Dangers of Sports Gambling: Resources and Articles
Against The Rules Podcast, Season 5
Michael Lewis
"I think we can all agree that it’s not just the law that changed when the US allowed states to legalize sports gambling in 2018. An entire region of the American Brain has been wiped clean and replaced with new software. Somehow sports gambling went from this slightly naughty activity you needed to go out of your way to engage in to smack dab in the center of American culture. It has very obviously overrun American colleges. It’s less obviously overrun American high schools too. "
High Stakes for High Schoolers: Wanna Bet Teens Need Gambling Education?
Colby Cotrone, 11th grader at John Jay High School, NY Post, 5/7/24
"It’s time for schools to focus on the root cause of online teen sports gambling by implementing gambling prevention education in all high schools. Health class curricula across the nation cover the typical health risks for teens such as smoking, vaping, drinking, etc., yet gambling education is nowhere to be found in our schools. Teens need education and knowledge to change their ways, and it’s currently non-existent in the sports gambling space, despite the staggering number of underage users, which is only on the rise. "
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Young Men Face High Risk for Gambling Addiction as Sports Betting Surges: Experts
Alex Mitchell, NY Post 1/1/24
"Experts warn that young men aged 18 to 44 are particularly at risk for gambling addiction, with 19% of those aged 18 to 24 showing high-risk behaviors"
Super Bowls Have More Than One Loser
Matthew Hennessey, Wall Street Journal, 2/7/25
"The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that 2.5 million Americans have a severe, diagnosable gambling disorder. Another five million to eight million may have a mild to moderate gambling problem. That’s a lot of friends and neighbors flirting with personal and financial disaster."
The Price We Pay Betting on Sports
Dr. Carl Erik Fischer, NY Times, 2/8/25
"Serious gambling addiction is devastating. Beyond financial ruin, it increases the risk of physical health problems, domestic violence and family rupture. Every year, 2.5 million American adults suffer from severe gambling problems. Many suffer invisibly, silently wagering away their lives on cellphones, perhaps in the very same room as their family and friends."
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Uncovering the Epidemic of Youth Sports Gambling
Sam Sumski, Redwood Bark, 6/6/24
"A March 2024 Bark survey found that just under three out of every four males at Redwood High School, or 74 percent, have placed a sports bet on an online platform despite being underage. The survey also found that just over one out of every four females, or 27 percent, have placed sports gambling bets — a third of the rate for men."
You Like to Bet on Sports? Here’s a Reality Check
Nick Fortuna, Wall Street Journal, 2/9/25
"Study finds that the average bettor expects to make a little money on future bets, even though the average result is a loss of 7.5 cents per dollar."
Do Sports Bettors Need Consumer Protection? Evidence from a Field Experiment
Matthew Brown, Nick Grasley, Mariana Guido, Stanford University, 1/23/25
"We find widespread overoptimism about financial returns. The average participant predicts that they will break even, but in fact loses 7.5 cents for every dollar wagered. We also find evidence of significant self-control problems, though these are smaller than overoptimism."
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Online Gambling is on the Rise. Panel says we need to act now!
Clea Simon, Harvard Gazette, 1/28/25
"With recent leap in legalized sports betting and online options, public health experts outline therapeutic, legislative strategies"
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