From the TV timeouts to social media feeds, it is virtually impossible to traverse the sports world without coming across an advertisement or promotion of sports gambling. Stars like LeBron James, Lionel Messi, and the Manning brothers regularly appear in the latest commercials for BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings, alongside many other sites where sports fans can supposedly increase the fun by placing live bets on sports 24/7. Opinions on debates on whether or not the spread will be covered and if the over-under will be hit now dominate sports talk shows. All of this was made possible by a 2018 Supreme Court case, Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, which struck down a federal sports gambling ban, allowing thirty-eight states, including Illinois, to legalize sports betting for people over the age of 21. Since that pivotal case, Americans have wagered over $500 billion on sports, per the Sports Business Journal.
Sports gambling overwhelmingly affects younger men, with 48% of men between the ages of 18–49 having an active account on at least one sportsbook, according to a 2025 study by the Siena College Research Institute. For many, their brains are still developing, which makes them significantly more at risk of developing a gambling addiction. Sports gambling sites do their best to hook their users, as they know that they make far more money off customers who are addicted, with over 80% of their profits coming from the 15% of people who gamble the most, according to CBS. To draw people in, sites offer so-called perks, starting with bonus bets—bets offered primarily to new, but also existing, customers that can be made without risk. As well as reload bonuses, which are immediately offered when a gambler’s account hits zero, where if the gambler redeposits, they will give them an additional 50% in credits (aka bonus bets). Also, a VIP service gives them these perks along with persistent notifications telling them that it is time to make a bet.
Another major strategy these companies use to keep users hooked is offering an almost infinite number of live events to bet on, powered by AI algorithms that generate real-time odds and moneylines. From the outcome of every snap in an NFL game to the winner of a single point in a Russian table tennis match, bettors are constantly presented with new opportunities to wager. This nonstop stream of live betting options keeps users engaged at all times, making it difficult to step away and reinforcing the impulsive nature of sports gambling.
Gambling companies claim to look out for and protect problem gamblers, but in reality, this just manifests as a barely visible 1-800 number at the bottom of their commercials. Gambling of any nature offers the same destructive qualities as other addictive substances like drugs and alcohol. Drugs and alcohol are, for the most part, treated as they should be: like dangers. Experts come into schools to educate young people about them, and politicians debate and propose the latest waves of restrictions and regulations. Yet, for sports gambling, there are endless promotions, advertisements, and a place in the sports mainstream. Aside from the obvious financial threat sports gambling poses, its mental health effects are severe, with one in five problem gamblers having attempted suicide, according to the American Psychiatric Association, a higher rate than addicts of drugs or alcohol. Even more frightening is that there is a significant number of underage bettors who gamble using fake IDs or illegal sites. While the exact numbers are hard to measure, all it takes is a quick observation to show how prominent the problem is.
Fans are far from the only ones who gamble, with many star athletes and coaches also dipping into America’s new wicked pastime. Prominent football and soccer stars Calvin Ridley, Ivan Toney, and Sandro Tonali all faced year-long suspensions after being caught gambling on games they were not involved in or on themselves performing well. There have also been more serious cases that have directly threatened sports integrity, where athletes and coaches have taken action directly based on live odds and bets. For example, NBA player Jontay Porter was banned for life and is facing prison time after a gambling scheme in which he would throw games on purpose and fake injuries for his friends’ and his own bets to hit. While cases like Porter’s are not yet widespread, with the current state of gambling, it only seems to be a matter of time until it directly impacts sports integrity through something as big as entire match-fixing schemes or smaller issues like misleading injury reports.
From threatening games’ integrity to destroying the well-being of fans, gambling has become the single greatest danger threatening modern sports. Much like the Tobacco crisis of the twentieth century, professional sports leagues must stop prioritizing profit and take a firm stance against the gambling industry. If it is proper effort is taken to enforce and regulate, then no reason that reinstating federal gambling regulations or a flat-out ban should not be on the table. Since the 2018 Supreme Court decision was made on the basis that it is unconstitutional for a law to have an exception for one state, not that there is anything unconstitutional about prohibiting gambling.
