Although we emerged from one pandemic, it seems we have entered a new one. Here’s what Diana Goode, executive director of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, said in an article for Time a few months ago: “I look at the legalization of gambling like I look at the opioid crisis.”
And calling it a crisis certainly fits the bill. According to a meta-analysis conducted by professors at the University of Buffalo, one out of 10 college students is a pathological gambler. And while gambling has always existed in American society, it has now exploded in popularity because it is so easily accessible through various apps on smartphones. However, it wasn’t always that way. Even a decade ago, seeing an advertisement for sports gambling would’ve been unheard of. Yet, in the past five years, all major sports leagues have suddenly seemed to embrace the ascending phenomenon. Whenever I turn on the Knicks game on MSG Network nowadays, I am bombarded with ads from DraftKings during commercial breaks, and there are even dedicated segments where on-air hosts affiliated with the network openly promote gambling and discuss betting lines for various games across the association.
So, what was the turning point? How did sports gambling occupy the hearts and minds of so many young people across the country? The obvious and most simple answer is money. Signed into law in 1992, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, or the Bradley Act, essentially banned sports gambling across the whole country, with the exception of a few states. But, there was a Supreme Court ruling in May 2018 on the case Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association that made a landmark decision on the legality of sports betting throughout the United States. The Supreme Court ruled that PASPA was unconstitutional and conflicted with the 10th Amendment. Shortly after, New Jersey, Delaware and numerous other states quickly moved to legalize sports betting, and many states followed suit. Now, in 2024, 38 states and Washington D.C. have legalized sports gambling in some form, with 29 states allowing wagering online and more surely soon to follow. According to the website LegalSportsBetting.com, in the almost six years since the Supreme Court ruling in 2018, regulated sportsbooks have made over $300 billion from sports betting while paying state and local governments over $2 billion.
One can make the point that it would be delusional to ban sports betting at this point. The statistics show that the “genie is out of the bottle,” so to speak, and there is no putting it back inside. In other words, there is too much revenue at stake for leagues, as well as state and local governments, to reverse course. But, still, I ask readers to hear my grievances and consider the corrosive effects that sports betting is having on not only young fans but athletes themselves.
It was once commonplace to watch a sports game as a fan, simply for the joy of loving the game. It was that way for me especially, as I had the privilege of growing up watching David Wright in his prime on the Mets or Carmelo Anthony’s stint with the Knicks. Fans, especially young fans, formed a special connection with these athletes. I still watch Knicks and Mets games as a fan today. But it seems that many nowadays will even root against their own team, hoping they hit on their parlay instead. What was once the wholesome joy of watching a walk-off home run or a game-winning three-pointer is now riddled with the anger that a certain player did not finish with a stat line that a bettor wanted them to end with. I have heard my roommates screaming at the players on television, locked into a game that they normally would have no interest in, all because they had hundreds of dollars on the line. Not only is that intense pressure addictive and unhealthy, but it sucks the joy out of watching a tight game simply because of the great basketball, baseball, etc. played. Is this really the path that sports fans want to follow?
When a fan misses their parlay, far too often have there been instances of verbal online abuse towards players and coaches as well. In the NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff revealed during a press conference last month that he and his family received threats from gamblers last season. He said, “They got my telephone number and were sending me crazy messages about where I live and my kids and all that stuff.” Thankfully, Bickerstaff alerted security, and they located the anonymous gambler. He then went on to lament about the negative impact of sports betting on the NBA, saying: “It brings added pressure. It brings a distraction to the game that can be difficult for players, coaches, referees, everybody that’s involved in it.” As professional athletes who are already under an immense amount of pressure playing on the biggest stage, how can anyone think it’s morally acceptable to put these players under more pressure? Have we forgotten that athletes are not merely chess pieces we see on a screen or from the stands but actual human beings?
I agree with Bickerstaff’s sentiment. But we should go further as a nation. We owe it to ourselves, the players, coaches and everyone involved with sports nationwide to limit sports gambling. What happened to the game we all love? The next time you feel an itching urge to place a parlay on a couple of games, don’t.
