I know how the marketing people develop strategies and promotions to get the consumer to play the games. I know what investors demand from the companies. Problem gamblers carry an average of $55,000 in debt and more than 20 percent end up filing for bankruptcy. According to the Wall Street Journal, the National Problem Gambling helpline (1-80) received an average of more than 22,500 calls a month in 2021, up from a monthly average of 14,800 the year before. The difference, however, is that gambling addiction can and will cause suffering to individuals, families and businesses. It is a strategic and methodical effort to make sports betting seem no different than going to the grocery store to pick up a loaf of bread. The barrage has been relentless, consistent and so widespread that it is safe to say anyone older than 12 understands where and how to make a bet on everything from the final score of Sunday’s game to whether Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s first pass will be a completion or not. Anyone who uses a computer, watches television, carries a smart phone or listens to the radio, likely has been exposed to Jerry Rice dumping Gatorade on a winning DraftKings bettor or some other celebrity-filled come-on.
Companies like FanDuel, MGM and Caesars have spent hundreds of millions of dollars over the past year hawking their wares on TV and social media with celebrity-filled advertisements.
