March Madness Fuels Surge In Betting — And Concerns For Young Gamblers
Sports gambling doesn’t have a specific season, but certain times of the year are considered to be its Super Bowl or March Madness. Specifically … the Super Bowl and March Madness.
Crowning the National Football League champion remains the biggest single-game bet among Americans. The next few weeks, however, bring a tsunami of gambling due not only to March Madness’ popularity, but also the sheer number of games on which to wager.
A recent Wall Street Journal op-ed by a college student noted how sports betting is wrecking the lives of his Gen Z friends.
READ: Most Americans Think Their Fellow Citizens Are ‘Morally Bad’
“What starts out as a seemingly harmless diversion quickly becomes a trap. I’ve had friends who have lost hundreds, lied to their families and pulled away from the team, all while chasing the rush of a winning bet that may never arrive. Sports gambling was a major problem for many of my high-school classmates, but it’s gotten even worse in college,” writes the student at North Greenville University.
Sports betting, especially among younger men, doesn’t discriminate and can happen just as easily at Baptist-affiliated colleges like NGU. Professors at another like-minded school connected to a Baptist state convention, Cedarville University in Ohio, recently spoke about the new landscape of gambling and its effects.
“My greatest concern is that sports betting might cause students not to be able to continue their education. There’s a future impact – and a spiritual impact – that can alter the course of a young person’s life,” said Greg Thompson, professor of criminal justice.
Jared A. Pincin, his colleague at Cedarville and associate professor of economics, agrees on the spiritual harm that sports betting brings to students.
“Scripture calls us to contentment and wise management of resources,” he said. “Sports betting appeals to the desire for quick gain and can distract from trusting God’s provision.”
March is recognized as Problem Gambling Awareness Month. A study recently conducted in partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) pointed to the issue’s seriousness among young adults.
Nearly two-thirds of those over 21 years of age report participating in at least one form of gambling before turning 21. Those activities include:
— Playing lottery or scratch-off tickets (40 percent)
— Playing home games with friends/family for money (37 percent)
— Placing a sports bet (23 percent)
— Playing online casino-style games (21 percent)
— Playing fantasy sports (16 percent).
When split among generations, 33 percent of those aged 21-44 reported placing a sports bet before turning 21, versus 11 percent of those 55 and over.
Only a handful of states set the minimum age for betting at 18, with most starting at 21. Although the American Gaming Association requires that 73.6 percent of sports betting advertisements be for audiences over 21, the North Greenville student said that is plenty close enough to attract a younger crowd.
“When my peers see the app’s slick marketing campaigns, the pull is undeniable, with celebrity-endorsed ads hyping the thrill of a quick win on TikTok and Instagram in the run-up to nearly every sporting event,” he said.
“It’s gamification,” said Pincin. “The look and feel resemble mobile games, blurring the line between entertainment and financial risk – especially for younger users who are already inclined toward higher-risk behavior.”
Betting on sports once carried the weight of ruining reputations and denying Hall-of-Fame-worthy credentials. And while there are still consequences to gambling in professional sports, it’s mixed messages, to say the least, when seven major U.S. sportsbooks count 87 team sponsorships with the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. Media companies like ESPN and Fox Sports routinely highlight betting apps and have developed partnerships.
And then there is betting that isn’t technically betting … but it’s betting.
Prediction markets – intentional in the word usage by those who partake – have rocketed in popularity among young people who are not yet old enough to gamble.
A guide to address gambling in the church is available from the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. ERLC Director of Research RaShan Frost recently wrote about the combination of media and the sports gaming industry creating “a rigged game.”
“Yet even while media promote a false hope of informed bettors picking well, sports betting companies restrict the bets of individuals who consistently win,” he said. “That practice has led some states, like New York, to introduce bills to prevent those companies from picking on winners.
“Yet it’s worse than just blocking winners. Sports betting companies actively cultivate reliable losers by giving them VIP rewards. Though VIPs make up approximately 2 percent to 3 percent of sports bettors, they account for 60 percent to 70 percent of revenue.”
Those VIP rewards arrive alongside push notifications built into the apps. No longer is it necessary to drive to gamble, Thompson noted.
“Everyone has access to a casino in their pocket,” he said. “These companies make money only when the gambler loses.”
This article was originally published at Baptist Press.
Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.