There is a major battle going on behind the screens in America. On one side are the sports betting companies such as FanDuel and DraftKings. These for-profit corporations are interested in growing lucrative gambling empires. On the other side are the gamblers, who are quickly finding their pastime consuming all their disposable income, sometimes more.

In between these two groups is the government. For the 39 states that allow sports betting, the tax revenues have been a major windfall. The financial conflict of interest — similar to marijuana legalization — makes the state partners with private companies. Already, large and well-funded administrations have grown around gambling management, trying to protect an industry that makes a few people wealthy by impoverishing large numbers.

“For every dollar in gambling tax revenue, the U.S. states spend less than a penny on problem gambling.” Those are the words of Nick Devor, writing about gambling addiction for Barron’s. Devor notes that this is not enough funding to reduce problem gambling, so the number of people negatively impacted continues to grow. The people who have the most problems are those least able to afford it, leading to downstream financial problems for states having to cope with job loss, bankruptcy, divorce, foreclosure, and substance use disorders — all of which go along with problem gambling.

“Nearly half of men younger than 50 now have an account with an online sports book,” writes Hana Kiros, assistant editor for The Atlantic. She notes that sports betting companies are willing to pay hundreds of dollars to get new accounts, offering free play when you start an account. Kiros also worries about the downstream costs: “[T]he United States is unequipped to deal with it.” She points out:

[F]or decades, the federal government — the largest funder of American research — has earmarked zero dollars for research on gambling activity or [gambling] addiction specifically, despite collecting millions annually from gambling taxes.

Gambling addiction collides with smartphone addiction, where most bets are placed. It leads to incessant checking of the phone, often resulting in disrupted sleep and attention span problems. A UCLA psychiatrist interviewed by Kiros blames newer forms of gambling that allow very short-term wagers and multiple bets.

Gambling apps run more advertisements than beer companies during major sporting events. Gamblers are able to wager on every single play, not just the final outcome of the game. Kiros watched the Super Bowl with a friend who wagered on how long the national anthem would take to sing at the game’s opening.

In what might be seen as a cynical attempt to ward off regulation, FanDuel has started producing a television series about “responsible gambling” called “The Comeback with Craig Carton.” A problem gambler in recovery, Carton interviews others who have come forward about their gambling problem, what it has cost their families, and how they got a handle on their problem.

There are an estimated five million problem gamblers in the U.S. The opening segment of “The Comeback with Craig Carton” aired March 17, 2025. So far, it has 1,600 views and 19 likes. This is unlikely to even dent the rate at which people are becoming addicted to gambling, much less turn the tide. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, the best place to start your recovery is 1-800-GAMBLER.

Written by Steve O’Keefe. First published June 16, 2025.

Sources:

“America’s Sports Betting Boom Is About to Backfire,” Barron’s, May 23, 2025.

“America’s Newest Gamblers Are Playing a Dangerous Game,” The Atlantic, June 5, 2025.

“Why FanDuel is making a show about gambling addiction,” Business Insider, March 18, 2025.

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