By: Mason Halfin

Legalized now in over 39 different states, sports gambling has quietly become the United State’s newest epidemic. 

We are now eight years removed from the Murphy vs. NCAA decision that legalized sports gambling after a twenty-six-year hiatus when the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act passed in 1992. Sports gambling is now larger than it ever was with the help of cell phones, making it easily accessible and easy to follow. The statistics can prove this as wagers rose from 4.9 billion dollars in 2018 to a staggering 142.55 billion dollars in 2025 (Technopedia). This includes 43% of sports betters being under the age of 34 (Technopedia). 

Sports gambling has brought a lot of attention and new viewers to sports, but that comes with a cost. According to a study from Forbes, over 2.5 million U.S. adults are “severely” addicted to gambling, while millions of others suffer from mild to moderate addiction issues. Also according to that same study, searches relating to “am I addicted to gambling” has gone up around 23% since the legalization of sports gambling. 

This rise of sports gambling is not accidental. When tuning into almost any sports game today, it is virtually impossible to avoid marketing for sport gambling apps or contents. Commercials today are littered with sportsbooks offering promotions for free bets and bonus money. Along with that, there are even sports media members debating and arguing over gambling lines and spreads. The target of these ads? The 43% of young adults that I mentioned earlier. 

To provide some numbers behind the words, FanDuel spent around 500-600 million dollars on advertising and over 400 million more dollars in promotions (Scaleo). And that’s just one company! DraftKings also reported all marketing costs to around 600 million dollars (Scaleo). As of 2024, it is reported that around 70% of new players to these sportsbooks come directly from advertising, and 25% of those players becoming “long-term” players after joining (AGA). 

While sportsbooks pile millions of dollars each into advertising, public health officials have started raising the red flags. Kevin Whyte who was the former executive director on the National Council on Problem Gambling stated, “The only way to maximize the benefits of legalized sports betting is to minimize problem gambling harm. Everyone who profits from sports betting bears responsibility for addressing gambling problems.” Companies are investing heavily in obtaining new users, while their funding for spending addiction is very small when compared. 

Gambling disorders are no new thing. Gambling disorders are labeled or recognized as behavioral addiction (Gambling Harm). Because of this, gambling addiction has been placed alongside substance addictions due to its effects on the brains reward system and compulsive behavior patterns (Gambling Harm). 

Many ask what is next? Some expect more laws and regulations; some expect nothing to change. One thing is for sure, sports gambling is becoming an epidemic being under looked by many.

Stock Photo from: Sports Betting Mobile Phone Gambling App Stock Illustration