Odds board at a Las Vegas sportsbook. Wikimedia Commons
In May of 2018, the 1992 law banning sports betting was overturned in the Supreme Court case Murphy v. NCAA. In the month following, the industry brought in twenty-four million dollars in revenue. However, sports betting in the United States was not born out of this ruling—it already had a long history full of loopholes, corruption, monopolizing, and addiction—the Supreme Court ruling only furthered it.
In 2009, the company Fanduel was founded to try to bring a new face to fantasy sports, one in which transactions, in person or online, were not considered gambling and thus were legal. Fanduel scaled fantasy sports up from simply a group of coworkers or friends, to tournaments and cash games to compete against thousands of others. Additionally, the company shifted the time frame of fantasy sports by allowing its users to play “Daily Fantasy.” This vastly increased the number of transactions that could occur. Although sports gambling was still illegal in all fifty states, Fanduel capitalized on a clause in a 2006 law that banned online transactions for traditional gambling but left it open for fantasy sports due to their small scale. In 2014, the company had grown so much that it partnered with the National Basketball Association. Fanduel’s rising competitor, DraftKings, did the same with the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. Seemingly out of nowhere, these two companies were outspending the entire beer industry on advertising during the month leading up to the National Football League’s first game. With endless promotional offers, quick and gamified convenience, cheap buy-ins, and huge prize potential, these fantasy sports services began to stray from the original nature of fantasy sports, and towards sports gambling.
For decades, sports betting was thought to be the antithesis of fair sports, and league commissioners and managers held the same belief. However, with the growing popularity of fantasy services like Fanduel or DraftKings, people began to see the prospect of legalizing sports betting as an opportunity rather than an evil. And, as gambling-adjacent services thrived, positive public opinion on sports betting grew. Surprisingly, the Supreme Court agreed, with a 7-2 decision to lift the federal ban and leave the legality of sports betting to the states.
By 2022, thirty states had legalized sports betting, and places dedicated to sports betting opened in casinos, stadiums, and new brick-and-mortar sites run by Fanduel and DraftKings. However, the race to legalize sports betting was not a fair one, and companies like Fanduel and DraftKings were capitalizing on relationships with lawmakers to achieve the best possible terms, lobbying and planning the future of the industry over bottles of wine with state legislators. The plan that sports gambling companies envisioned was in motion, and from 2019 to 2021, the total revenue from sports betting in the US increased tenfold, and over threefold from 2021 to 2024.
With sports betting now a fixture of modern entertainment, the industry’s impact on society is more pronounced than ever, and the industry and its effects are ever-changing. While the typical sports bettor was once middle-aged and male, the expansion of mobile platforms for sports betting has drawn in a younger, more diverse audience. According to recent studies, the majority of new sports bettors are between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-five, many of whom are drawn in by aggressive marketing campaigns, influencer endorsements, and seamless mobile applications that allow wagering on nearly every possible aspect of a sports game. For some, sports betting has proven to be a profitable endeavor. “Professional bettors” rely on advanced statistical models, data analysis, and deep sports knowledge to find inefficiencies in betting lines. These individuals treat sports betting as an investment, using strategies akin to those found in financial markets to turn a consistent profit. However, for the average bettor, profitability remains elusive. Most casual players fall victim to the built-in house edge, emotional wagering, and the difficulty of consistently predicting outcomes in unpredictable sporting events. The illusion of easy winnings, perpetuated by advertisements showcasing big winners, fuels bets to try to make back what they lost, further lining the pockets of sportsbook owners.
The influence of sports betting extends beyond individual gamblers and into the very fabric of sports culture. With odds integrated into broadcasts, teams forming partnerships with sportsbooks, and live betting available during games, sports are no longer just about competition but also about financial stakes. This shift has transformed how fans engage with games, making each play feel consequential not just for the team, but also for the bettor’s wallet. The proliferation of in-game betting has led to heightened engagement, with fans watching games they may not have otherwise cared about simply because they now have money riding on the outcome. All the new engagement with sports has brought concerns about the integrity of sports, as scandals involving insider information and game manipulation have raised ethical concerns.
Yet, perhaps the most alarming consequence of widespread sports betting is the increase in gambling addiction. The accessibility of mobile betting apps has removed traditional barriers, allowing individuals to place bets at all hours with little friction. The same behavioral psychology that makes social media addictive—instant gratification, variable rewards, and ease of use—has been weaponized by sportsbooks to keep bettors engaged. Studies indicate that problem gambling rates have risen in states that have recently legalized sports betting, with many young adults falling into cycles of compulsive betting. The rapid escalation from casual wagering to problematic gambling is fueled by relentless advertising, aggressive bonus structures, and easy credit access, leading to financial distress and personal turmoil for many. The dangers of sports betting are not confined to addiction alone. The financial toll can be severe, as losses accumulate and lead to debt, strained relationships, and mental health struggles. Some bettors chase losses, convinced that the next wager will be the one to turn things around, only to dig deeper into financial despair.
As sports betting becomes further ingrained in mainstream American culture, its consequences, both economic and social, will continue to reveal themselves, shaping the next chapter of the industry and the lives of the next generations in ways both anticipated and unforeseen.
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