I'm A Semi-Professional Sports Gambler. Here's Why It Should Be Illegal.

Since legalization, online sports gambling has increased the chance of bankruptcy, debt, and even domestic violence. Slightly more exciting NFL games aren't worth it.

In 2023, I wrote in Jacobin on the need to regulate online sports gambling. In the article, I described the 2018 Supreme Court case that legalized sports betting, Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, as a ‘net benefit.’ At the time, I felt the benefits of legalization — taking it away from organized crime, generating state tax revenue, and increasing enjoyment — outweighed the negatives. Two years later, the situation has changed, and so have my feelings. The explosion of sports gambling has overtaken every aspect of athletic (and even some non-athletic) entertainment to the point you can’t even watch a D2 college football game without Kevin Hart berating you to join DraftKings. As the capital-driven sportsbook onslaught has gone unregulated, the adverse economic and social impacts of online betting now outweigh the benefits. As someone who has earned the equivalent of an annual, blue-state minimum wage salary by gambling every day, I believe online sports betting should be outlawed for the good of society. Here’s why.

ESPN’s The Daily Wager promoting bets on collegiate basketball. Most college players aren’t old enough to gamble in most states.