The Rising Human Cost of Sports Betting
Steven Delaney, 37, from Ballston Spa, N.Y., is not going to watch the Super Bowl because he is addicted to sports betting. About 2 percent of Americans struggle with gambling addiction. In November, California residents will vote on whether to open their state to sport betting, which is now legal in 30 states. Sports gambling is a major pillar of American entertainment. It's also dangerous. People as old as 82 and as young as 17 have suffered from sports gambling addictions. They have lost their families and homes. Some have even committed suicide. The Supreme Court cut down a 1992 federal law that limited sports betting to Nevada.
Sports betting is becoming more popular. The biggest pro sports leagues used to be very strict about gambling. Now they are in step with the casinos. Federal oversight is nonexistent. The last Marlboro Man commercial aired in 1999. There is no warning that smoking can lead to health problems. It is a shame that the tobacco industry was doing all it could to get people hooked on a deadly product. They were eventually stopped. Today, sports league and media companies walk in line with casinos with multimillion-dollar partnerships. Their actions are hypocritical. it is not. the truth of addiction is obscured by the smarmy ads and compromising relationships.
