SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Sports betting is a popular pastime these days, but like any type of gambling addiction, underlying that enjoyment is the risk of addiction.
In-game stakes. Take over/under. Parlay and prop his bets. Cover the spread. These are just a handful of terms thrown around in the sports betting community, and while you may see them more in the midst of March Madness, they're used on a daily basis for many.
Sports betting has permeated everyday life. If you're a sports media user, chances are you're bombarded with ads for sportsbooks and betting guides.
Giant leagues like the NFL have open partnerships with betting operators like MGM, Caesars, FanDuel, and DraftKings. These sportsbooks are shown in commercials and other programming during games and can be seen on billboards across the country. Their ads run before YouTube videos and during sports-related podcasts.
Speaking of podcasts, a quick search on most streaming platforms will turn up dozens of shows dedicated solely to sports betting.
Betting is also central to social media. If you click on the Nebraska vs. Texas A&M topic in the sports tab of the website formerly known as Twitter, you'll see a feed about that matchup. Pinned to the top of the page ahead of the afternoon gamee Betting odds provided by BETMGM.
It's not just the NCAA and NFL. You can bet on almost every type of college and professional sporting event imaginable. Golf, hockey, racing. Sports such as darts and bowling are also places for sports betting.
“I watched March Madness. [betting] And they seem to be expecting March Madness bettors to bet more than $2.72 billion,” said Matt Walz, president of Canton-based Keystone Treatment Centers. .
Walz said the advent of sports betting in South Dakota has led to an influx of gambling addicts, with a notable increase among young people.
“I think one of the target areas for sports betting is primarily young men,” Walz said. “These are high school, college-age guys. We're seeing a lot more of them taking bets and making bets.”
Walz compared some people's participation in online sports betting to methamphetamine use. “They have a very hard time applying breaks to sports betting,” he says.
Walz emphasizes that part of the difficulty in curbing gambling addiction in the form of sports betting is how convenient and accessible it is. “There are so many apps and platforms out there, and the algorithms these companies use are very focused on getting people to bet more and more often and with more money,” he said.
For Walz, an addiction to sports betting looks a little different than a traditional gambling addiction.
“With the traditional type of gambling, you have to leave your house and go to the casino. You have to gamble and then leave,” Walz said. “Casinos have certain safety measures in place and you can self-ban yourself from entering or leaving the casino if necessary.”
Walz's point is that these qualities often don't apply to sports betting. Sports betting can be done from home, at work, in your car, or anywhere you have an internet connection, all from your mobile phone. Very accessible and very available.
“There are probably thousands of apps and platforms out there that allow you to bet on different aspects of sports. And it's instantaneous,” Walz said.
Another aspect is how ingrained sports are in our lives. Many of us have played sports since childhood. We follow our favorite sports, our favorite teams, and our favorite athletes. Fandom can be a major part of people's personalities, and many people are deeply involved in gaming and the social aspects surrounding it, through things like bracket challenges and fantasy leagues.
“The more passionate people are about sports, the more engaged they become, not just by attending the games, but through their habits, their betting, the sports, the standings, and all aspects of it,” Walz said. . “And people are going to become more and more involved, not just in sports, but in sports gambling.”
Walz also noted the growth of the sports betting industry.
“Since the Supreme Court legalized sports betting in 2018, the excitement has only grown,” Walz said. “In 2021, the market saw $57 billion wagered on sports betting. In 2022, it was around $85 billion, and by 2024, nearly $120 billion is expected to be wagered on sports betting.”
Walz, who earlier compared sports betting to methamphetamine, then made an even more powerful comparison.
“There's one thing that's very similar to the explosion in sports betting, and that's the explosion in the opioid epidemic,” Walz said. “Personally, I believe sports betting will become America’s next opioid epidemic.”
Walz believes one basis for this stark comparison is that the two industries are poorly regulated.
“When the opioid industry tried to make a lot of money from the regular use of opioids for all types of pain, they sued regulators and governments,” Walz said. “[The government] They allowed lobbyists to come in and basically write the policy. Regulators were asleep at the wheel. The same thing is happening with sports betting. The Supreme Court has deferred judgment to the states, who are unsure what to do about how to properly regulate sports betting. ”
Walz goes so far as to call the sports betting industry “predatory.”
“They know what they're doing, and they have a financial incentive,” Walz said. “We end up with a highly convenient and highly addictive form of gambling, with the regulators asleep at the wheel. It’s being forced onto a lot of people who are probably not ready for it. .”
When it comes to the addiction itself, sports betting follows a similar pattern to other types of addiction.
“I've heard from many people that the most dangerous thing for sports bettors and gamblers is winning for the first time,” Walz said. “It releases dopamine and other wonderful endorphins and chemicals in your brain that make you feel great. So I do it over and over again. Chase that feeling, chase the biggest win. I am.”
Of course, Walz admits that just like alcohol and other types of gambling, sports betting can be done in a fun and problem-free way. Many people gamble for fun and with money they can afford to lose.
But if not, you may need treatment to overcome your addiction. Recovery is another area where sports betting addiction can pose unique challenges.
Sports betting is inherently tied to the sport itself. Walz shared the story of an anonymous addict he knows who is a recovering sports betting addict. Walz said the person decided he could no longer watch sports.
This may not be the case for everyone, Walz clarified. “It’s different for everyone,” he said.
This is part of what makes the addition of sports betting unique. Sports as a whole is a big part of our culture, and while sports betting ads are everywhere, so is the sport itself.
Of course, there are ways to treat addiction to sports betting. At the national level, you can dial 988. This is known to many as the suicide hotline, but it is also a crisis line.
Many states have their own programs to help people with gambling problems. South Dakota, of course, has Keystone, which provides both inpatient and outpatient resources for gambling addiction. You can also dial 211 or visit our Helpline Center online.
Identifying addiction to sports betting is an important step, and this raises another area of concern. As mentioned earlier, sports betting is very accessible. After all, you can even do it from your phone.
“Gambling addiction is much easier to hide than drug or alcohol addiction,” Walz says. “Acute intoxication is not something that anyone can detect.”
Walz says gambling addiction is easy to hide from family members, especially for those who manage the household finances or don't involve others with their money.
“But things add up,” Walz said. “Gambling debts pile up. Usually no one wins in the long run.”
