Is Gambling Good For Professional Sports Or Bad?

[bob_sauve28]

I'm just so amazed at how quickly sports gambling as become a major part of sports reporting, media focus and advertising. 

 

So I guess we will have to wait and hear about the social costs of this to gambling addicts, families, etc. 

 

Just wondering if games will be fixed? Maybe this is less of a factor than when The Mob did the book making, but can't help but think this could happen. 

 

Just interested in people's thoughts on this pretty big issue that does not get discussed much. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Bad.

In fact, it's strictly forbidden.

Also, it's hard to *fix* NHL games.

[Eleven]

I don't think it's good or bad for sports, and I don't think it's good or bad for most people, but the advertising is out of control and annoying.  TBN's website is disguising gambling ads as articles, 1520AM has become a "wagertainment" station, and even WGR can't go five minutes without some mention of FanDuel, DraftKings, or whatever.  It's just too pervasive.  Imagine if cannabis (also newly legal) ads were this prevalent--a certain segment of the population would be raging about it.

[JoeSchmoe]

I'm in favour of letting people bet, but it's not my thing. 

It drives me nuts listening to people on the radio talking about it... I could really care less.

[Weave]

Gambling is definitely changing the way the game is being presented to us.  But the same can be said for fantasy sports as well.  Which, lets face it, was a form of gambling really.

[klos1963]

I think that there's always been a concern about fixing games or spreads. I think legalized gambling increases the likelihood of this occurring more often.  I do enjoy light betting on some games, but it's not a big deal for me.

[K-9]

Can’t stand the non-stop advertising, especially the disingenuous concern for gambling addicts. Who are they kidding? Gambling addicts are their best customers.

[bob_sauve28]

Just saw this: 

Quote

 

Federal auditors investigating Phil Mickelson’s role in an insider trading scheme found his gambling losses totaled more than $40 million from 2010 to 2014, according to an excerpt from Alan Shipnuck’s forthcoming biography.

Shipnuck posted the excerpt on his “Firepit Collective” site Thursday. His unauthorized biography on Mickelson is to be released May 17 during the PGA Championship. Mickelson is the defending champion. He has not said if he will be playing.

 

https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-sports-business-phil-mickelson-pga-championships-7ed87d029e4fbeefd39fa88557ba053b

[Buffalonill]

It's good for my wallet

[woods-racer]

There's almost as many billboard adds on the 190/290 around Buffalo for sports books as there is for accident attorneys. It's getting way out of control. 

[Pimlach]

Bad.  I think that gambling is bad for professional sports and can lead to corruption in sports.  
 

Gambling is especially bad for certain people.   All you need to know is ONE person with excessive compulsive behavior, usually linked with depression, that falls into the gambling trap.  Then you will understand why I say this.  Gambling can and has destroyed people and families.  I have enough vices, don’t need this one.   
 

I know there are many counterpoints to my view but I have been shaped to feel this way.  

[Taro T]

My expectation is that it's good for the teams & leagues at least in the ST as it pumps significant advertising revenue into the coffers.  (Even if the total # of ads don't go up, though they are as DraftKings & others find themselves mentioned more than Labatt's or Pepsi got mentioned; the demand for ads has gone up so the price per ad can go up as well.)

Will be interesting how the inevitable gambling scandals get covered when another ref gets caught like the NBA guy a few years back.  Doubt it'll really move the needle 1 way or another, but such an event could result in a serious black eye for a team or league.

The pervasiveness of the advertising is troubling because there really are people w/ gambling addictions & even more w/ a propensity towards them and the seemingly 24/7 of gambling opportunities being blasted in everybody's face can't make things easier for those that do have/ could develop a problem.  And the little phone # & disclaimer don't really counteract it much, if at all.  Especially when we've just come through 2 years of lockdowns & still have rampant inflation and a major European war that may escalate, those little disclaimers don't do much for people that are hurting.

If the ads didn't make the outfits money, they wouldn't run them.  Would really like to see restrictions placed on them but don't know how that would legally be accomplished at this point in a way that passes Constitutional muster.  Expect that when all is said & done, we'll find that they've created far more problems than the tax revenue they've generated can solve.

Have absolutely no problem w/ casual gambling, but just expect that in the long run we'll find out 1st hand why unfettered gambling has been illegal in so many places.  It's not because it's "immoral" to let people gamble, but rather because it brings too many people to a point where they can't fend for themselves through legal means & end up placing burdens on society that society isn't willing to accept.  MHO.  YMMV.

[bob_sauve28]

10 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Bad.  I think that gambling is bad for professional sports and can lead to corruption in sports.  
 

Gambling is especially bad for certain people.   All you need to know is ONE person with excessive compulsive behavior, usually linked with depression, that falls into the gambling trap.  Then you will understand why I say this.  Gambling can and has destroyed people and families.  I have enough vices, don’t need this one.   
 

I know there are many counterpoints to my view but I have been shaped to feel this way.  

I had a friend at work who just started telling me I did not need my life savings. I was like, that's insane. But he kept up, told me I had to open an account so he could spend my money. I stopped having anything to do with him. Turns out he is all into this gambling, has three apps on his phone for it, etc. He has three kids and I just see a disaster coming his way. Not sure if he has gambling debt but who the hell tells someone they should just have access to someone else's life savings?? 

 

 

[inkman]

48 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

It's good for my wallet

I doubt it 

[Eleven]

19 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

told me I had to open an account so he could spend my money.

WHAT?!

[bob_sauve28]

1 minute ago, Eleven said:

WHAT?!

Seriously! He told me that when he wins the lottery, he plans on sharing it with me...

[inkman]

I know families that have been destroyed by drug addiction, alcohol abuse and the like.  Nothing has torn loved ones apart like gambling.  I know multiple generations of families that have nothing because one individual couldn’t control themselves and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.  People aren’t responsible enough to keep it in check.  More lives will be ruined by this than anyone is anticipating.  
 

The way the guys on WGR espouse about it, would make you think everyone wins all the time.  Well they don’t build $100 million dollar casinos because they lose money. 

[SwampD]

47 minutes ago, Taro T said:

My expectation is that it's good for the teams & leagues at least in the ST as it pumps significant advertising revenue into the coffers.  (Even if the total # of ads don't go up, though they are as DraftKings & others find themselves mentioned more than Labatt's or Pepsi got mentioned; the demand for ads has gone up so the price per ad can go up as well.)

Will be interesting how the inevitable gambling scandals get covered when another ref gets caught like the NBA guy a few years back.  Doubt it'll really move the needle 1 way or another, but such an event could result in a serious black eye for a team or league.

The pervasiveness of the advertising is troubling because there really are people w/ gambling addictions & even more w/ a propensity towards them and the seemingly 24/7 of gambling opportunities being blasted in everybody's face can't make things easier for those that do have/ could develop a problem.  And the little phone # & disclaimer don't really counteract it much, if at all.  Especially when we've just come through 2 years of lockdowns & still have rampant inflation and a major European war that may escalate, those little disclaimers don't do much for people that are hurting.

If the ads didn't make the outfits money, they wouldn't run them.  Would really like to see restrictions placed on them but don't know how that would legally be accomplished at this point in a way that passes Constitutional muster.  Expect that when all is said & done, we'll find that they've created far more problems than the tax revenue they've generated can solve.

Have absolutely no problem w/ casual gambling, but just expect that in the long run we'll find out 1st hand why unfettered gambling has been illegal in so many places.  It's not because it's "immoral" to let people gamble, but rather because it brings too many people to a point where they can't fend for themselves through legal means & end up placing burdens on society that society isn't willing to accept.  MHO.  YMMV.

That not necessarily true. At least not right now.

I don’t think that any of them are making money yet and it’s all about investment dollars grabbing market share (make a five dollar bet and we’ll give you $150 to play with.)

Eventually, there will be winners and losers and the advertising will settle down.

I think gambling is stupid. That might just be because I don’t have enough money to risk losing it, having some fun while I do.😄

Edited May 6, 2022 by SwampD

[Eleven]

9 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Seriously! He told me that when he wins the lottery, he plans on sharing it with me...

This is a person who needs help, and not necessarily for a gambling problem.

[Taro T]

8 minutes ago, SwampD said:

That not necessarily true. At least not right now.

I don’t think that any of them are making money yet and it’s all about investment dollars grabbing market share (make a five dollar bet and with give you $150 to play with.)

Eventually, there will be winners and losers and the advertising will settle down.

I think gambling is stupid. That might just be because I don’t have enough money to risk losing it, having some fun while I do.😄

You were correct there.

Their 2021 10K shows that they are, in fact, still losing a bundle.  But revenues (not profits) doubled in both 2020 & 2021.  And through a VERY quick look, it seems revenues are increasing faster than costs.  So, would be surprised if they trim back advertising anytime soon even after the market is "stabilized."

But, doubt they 

[RangerDave]

I have always disliked the attention that fantasy football gets.  I want to see the scores of the other games, but they always spend so much time on individual player stats to please the fantasy football players.

I see gambling the same way.  Any attention on that means less attention to the game.

I also see legalized gambling, legalized marijuana, legalized other things as the "slippery slope" that will lead to a bad period of history.  Some may think the government should not be involved in banning "immoral" things.  That may be so.  However, there are reasons these types of things have been illegal.  I believe they eventually contribute to the decay of society.  🐴 (This is my high horse which I am now dismounting.  Now, get off of my lawn!)

[Pimlach]

43 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Seriously! He told me that when he wins the lottery, he plans on sharing it with me...

Yes, famous last words.  I had a close relationship with a gambler.   Lots of big promises and irrational thoughts.  Just know that gambling is the outlet for other problems.  
 

Back to sports - I think they should stop promoting it. 

[Weave]

28 minutes ago, RangerDave said:

I have always disliked the attention that fantasy football gets.  I want to see the scores of the other games, but they always spend so much time on individual player stats to please the fantasy football players.

I see gambling the same way.  Any attention on that means less attention to the game.

 

I definitely agree with the part I quoted.  
 

I know I am in the minority these days, but the time spent discussing fantasy aspects, and now betting aspects, takes time away from actually discussing the game, and I find that a whole lot less entertaining.

[SwampD]

58 minutes ago, RangerDave said:

I have always disliked the attention that fantasy football gets.  I want to see the scores of the other games, but they always spend so much time on individual player stats to please the fantasy football players.

I see gambling the same way.  Any attention on that means less attention to the game.

I agree with this. Totally.

59 minutes ago, RangerDave said:

I also see legalized gambling, legalized marijuana, legalized other things as the "slippery slope" that will lead to a bad period of history.  Some may think the government should not be involved in banning "immoral" things.  That may be so.  However, there are reasons these types of things have been illegal.  I believe they eventually contribute to the decay of society.  🐴 (This is my high horse which I am now dismounting.  Now, get off of my lawn!)

This, not so much. Like, at all.

[French Collection]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

I know families that have been destroyed by drug addiction, alcohol abuse and the like.  Nothing has torn loved ones apart like gambling.  I know multiple generations of families that have nothing because one individual couldn’t control themselves and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.  People aren’t responsible enough to keep it in check.  More lives will be ruined by this than anyone is anticipating.  
 

The way the guys on WGR espouse about it, would make you think everyone wins all the time.  Well they don’t build $100 million dollar casinos because they lose money. 

Everyone only talks about the winners or the potential windfalls. I say the same thing as you whenever people ask me why I don’t gamble, this casino didn’t get built because they lose money.