The problem with voicing concerns about legalized sports betting is that you're guaranteed to be dismissed as a pious, pearl-clutching, word-manipulating, out-of-touch weirdo.
But this is me on a good day. So what the heck is going on is I'm uncomfortable with legalized sports betting.
I also recognize that it is here to stay. If you say you turned a portion of your paycheck into betting on last week's Dodgers vs. Giants series, I'll tell you this. The game was played at Dodger Stadium in 2024 instead of Ebbets Field in 1954. Ebbets Field was a place and time when gambling was widespread, albeit a little overshadowed. That was also the place and time when play-by-play touts Red Barber and Vin Scully were in the booth pouring Schaeffer beer instead of FanDuel. It all happened a long time ago. That's it for today. And you and I are both citizens today. (Disclosure: BetMGM The Athletic. )
But the beer and gambling analogy is a good starting point for where I'm going with this. Beer was legal then, and it's still legal now. The same goes for harder alcohols. But these days, we're expected to be cautious when splurging, if we go out of our way to do so, even if TV ads generally subtly tout the point.
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But beer companies can also pleasantly surprise us, as Budweiser officials did a few years ago when they showed a young man leaving his dog at home for a night out with his buddies. As the night darkens, we see a series of shots of a poor dog, lonely and worried. And we, the viewers, are also anxious, moving a little closer to the TV, worried that something has gone horribly wrong. The spot plays on this fear by fading into a dark message, “For some, the wait was never over,” displayed against a black background.
Luckily, the sun came up, the door opened, and a young man was there to cuddle the dog, explaining in many words that he had too many last night and decided to stop by a friend's house. Spots work because they make it appear as if the message is being delivered to you rather than to you. you. It doesn't have the weight of a very serious voice-over artist warning you not to drink and drive. There's no fine print at the bottom of the screen to enforce anything like a government edict. They show a man and a dog, then plant the seed about a horrific car accident. But no tragic car accidents. Responsibility and maturity take over and the scene ends with the young man hugging the dog. “I’m back,” he says. “I'm back,” he says again. “i'm back.”
wonderful. And that's exactly the kind of message that needs to be delivered to sports bettors. Of course that won't happen. Instead, it's all glitz and glamour. Tom Brady and Vince Vaughn. They are “Wat $5, Win $150” and “New Player Offer $100% Deposit Match”. Yes, Spot will have a small warning at the bottom of the screen that says: Call 1-800-Gambler. I'm sure many people have called this number as a starting point for gambling addiction treatment, but to me it's nothing more than a government-mandated warning on a cigarette pack.
Common sense tells us that advertising is aimed at young people. Betting on sports is promoted as cool, fun, and sexy. I think FOMO is happening too. You know that your friends are betting on the game, so you pick up your phone and start betting on the game.
Yes, the problem is bigger than that. We also need to worry about athletes getting caught up in the sleazy aspects of sports betting. We should also worry about athletes suffering from the wrath of angry fans.according to The AthleticDavid Aldridge of the “We have strengthened our cybersecurity staff to detect particularly offensive abuse directed at players.”
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And there's also the hypocrisy of professional sports leagues partnering with sports betting companies while posting all sorts of rules and regulations designed to prevent active players from jumping into the pool.
“If the integrity of the game really was the top priority,” he wrote. The AthleticJim Trotter said, “Gambling and all activities related to it will be prohibited. Period. There is no workaround to allow players to bet on sports other than their own. Don't you like it? Get another job. But instead of building virtual barriers to protect the game, sports leagues continue to open their doors and weapons.”
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These are legitimate concerns. But I'm more worried about an entire generation of sports fans being sucked into gambling than I am about athletes being booed or leagues ignoring integrity. It's something worth having ongoing conversations at home, at school, and in the media. I wish there was a tear-jerking commercial that could use a man, his dog, and a night out with his friends to teach this lesson, but that would be naive. (Who came up with the Budweiser commercial? Let me know. Maybe we can use the simplicity and sentimental touches of those old beer commercials to tackle something that can address modern issues.) It may be possible.)
The concern is not that novice sports bettors will be confused. The worrying thing is that they have no intention of keeping anything hidden for the future. Or maybe Millennials and their Gen Z peers are choosing to prioritize other things rather than jumping on the increasingly complex treadmill of saving for a home.
If it's philosophical, stop reading and keep reading. But if that's not philosophical enough for you, that is, if you're into sports betting, there's an ancient (very Baby Boomer-like) savings habit that may help. It's called the “pay yourself principle,” and it involves putting a portion of your monthly income toward some form of savings, such as a 401(k), index fund, or other long-term investment. The concept is that you pay yourself with the same consistency you would pay your rent, utilities, car loan, etc. Next, figure out how much you spend each month on entertainment, such as eating out, movies, clubs, and travel. And make a deal with yourself. Only money from your entertainment quota can be bet on sports. The rest are off-limits.
I admit this is pretty weird and naive. But in my opinion, the crowd that lives for the action and thrills of sports betting ignored me seven paragraphs ago.
If you're still reading, this is for you.
(Photo of former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski promoting FanDuel Kick of Destiny before the 2023 Super Bowl: Cheryl Evans/USA Today)
