In June 1990 there was a part of the epic puba of professional sports, testifying before a Senate subcommittee on the dangers of legalized gambling. Among them, National Football League commissioner Paul Taliabue said, “We’re not doing anything to defeat the games that Americans gamble widely and watch.”
Here’s how Tagliabue summarised his mission before the committee: “It’s about protecting the integrity and character of our game.”
Legalized gambling and professional sports were once considered a deadly combination to avoid at all costs. But that is…
This is now: Jamie Foxx, Wayne Gretzky, Eli, Peyton Manning and Garth Brooks are just a few of the many superstars that promote sports betting. That changed in everything Supreme Court decision in 2018 What was once almost exclusively in Las Vegas, moves directly to a phone in your pocket.
So far, 39 states and Washington, DC have legalized sports gambling.
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March Madness
These days of March’s insanity are expected to generate bets of over $3 billion. The NCAA warns you that you will lose gamblers to avoid harassing players because you are fully concerned about their safety. That’s because you can now bet on anything that could happen on the court in essentially men’s basketball tournaments.
“Right now, every cell phone, computer, or tablet, you can bet and access every micro-event on every possible sporting event,” said Harry Levant, who warns of what he considers as a heightened public health crisis.
During a council hearing, the Levant said, “I never imagined online sports gambling to be a fundamentally different, more dangerous product.”
Levant explained to us what online gambling constitutes today. “Before I sat down to do this interview, I looked at my phone and on average I could bet on Ping Pong in the Czech Republic on Wednesday morning,” he said.
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And you can bet not only on the achievements of the game, but also on what he called “micro events.” For example, the results of each point in a ping-pong contest between two players that no one has ever heard of. “That’s something young people are betting,” he said.
The Levant learned his lessons the difficult way. He is a recovering gambling addict. “Gambling addiction took my heart, my soul, my body, my conscience,” he told Congress.
Levant is a counsel for Congress who had been stealing from his clients to cover gambling debts. He took a break with a sympathetic judge. Recognizing his addiction, he placed him on probation for eight years, ordered him to continue treatment, and told the Levant, “This doesn’t have to be the end. You can do something on this day.”
He is currently a licensed therapist treating other gambling addicts. It’s an expanding universe, he says. Last year alone, nearly $150 billion in legal sports bets were placed.
The best clients in the industry are young men. Sienna College Research Institute’s polls It shows that almost half of the 18-49 men have active online sports betting accounts.
That raises the question: In theory, you must be 21 years old to place a bet.
“Gambling was the only thing that mattered.”
Andrew, Sean, Brian – No surnames here – healing gambling addicts in treatment with Harry Levant. “I know a lot of people under the age of 18,” Andrew said. “They are 16 or 15 years old and they’re openly talking about all the bets they’ve got at school.”
They use personal information from their parents or older siblings. “Usually, that’s a Social Security number,” Andrew said. “It could be a driver’s license, and they’re taking on that identity.”
Many minor bets occur on illegal or unregulated sites, but legal sites have not resolved the issue either.
And, as Sean recalls, gambling addiction at all ages is devastating. At one point he ended up sleeping in his car. “When I was in those teeth, it was important. My marriage wasn’t important. My work wasn’t important. My daughters didn’t matter.
It was good to win. Losing, it’s not. But what I counted was the action. You can wager online anytime, anywhere. One ad will promote “automatic, algorithmic, powered by machine learning and AI.”
According to Brian, “There’s always something to bet on. We’ve seen that the cricket match is three days.
“I’ve been showering a lot,” Sean said.
Andrew said, “I got a waterproof case on my phone so I could gamble in the shower!”
Sean said, “No one is casual about live betting and betting on every play. That’s what it means to deal with gambling addicts.”
All three men explain that they consume as much everything as drug addiction, and even the consequential addiction. According to the American Psychiatry Associationone in five problem gamblers attempt suicide. It is the highest percentage of addictions.
Andrew said he had considered suicide. “Yes, I… I tried it. I was calm about it. I accepted it. I wanted to do it. I wrote a letter written personally. And yes, it happened.
American Games AssociationIndustry trade groups rejected the request for an interview on “CBS Sunday Morning,” but in a statement, “The US legal gaming industry will work with 5,000 state and tribal regulators every day to promote responsibility, support the services of individuals experiencing disability gambling, protect individuals from predatory and covered market behavior that avoids liability programs.
“In fact, the legally regulated game has expanded to mostly over 40 state and tribal jurisdictions due to our commitment to regulation and responsibility, as well as the belief and trust of our citizens in investing in state and tribal communities that drive economic growth,” the association said.
The Sportsbook provides the number of problematic gambling helplines. If you look closely, it’s at the bottom of the ads that promote gambling.
Bonus bet
Here is the harsh reality. The biggest losers are some of Sportsbook’s best customers. The Levant states, “Companies are fun entertainment for the vast majority of people. However, their business model is made up of over 80% of their profits, from 15% of the people who are most gambling.”
That’s why Levant says the gambling industry is encouraging players to continue making what is called “bonus bets.”
He said, “When your personal account goes to zero, the gambling company will offer them. “If you resubmit now, you will be offering 50% extra credit to continue gambling. You have already lost your money. It’s called the “reload bonus.” They seem very ominous.
“I used to call patients a reload bonus a neighborhood dope dealer. “He gave me a $10 extra extra for my bag,” because they knew I was down a little that week,” he said.
And because of what the industry describes as the most loyal player, they offer the VIP program.
Andrew had his own VIP host. “What they’re telling you is to make your gambling experience even better,” he said. “And actually, if you go for a day without depositing or playing, you can get texts and emails.
Sean said, “The best thing was, ‘We missed you.'”
In the gambling industry, only 1% of adult Americans say they have serious gambling problems. That may be a low estimate, but even 1% represents 2.5 million American adults.
We will finish where we started in 1990, before a Senate subcommittee, along with Stephen Greenberg, then deputy director of baseball. He said, “If gambling is permitted in team sports, winning bets may be more important than winning games.”
Thirty-five years ago, they were investigating what dangers they had. Maybe happen. Today, hundreds of millions of dollars later, the evidence is around us.
If you or someone you know is struggling to gamble, help is available. National Issues Gambling Helpline We provide free confidential support 24/7. Call 1-800-Gambler and talk to a trained counselor who can provide guidance, resources, and treatment options.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicide crisis, you 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline By calling or texting the 988 Chat with 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.
For more information Mental Health Care Resources and Supportthe National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline can reach 800-950-NAMI (6264) Monday through Friday from 10am to 10pm, 10am to 10am, 1am to 10am, or email info@nami.org.
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A story created by Dustin Stevens. Editor: Ed Gibnish.
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