At what point does sports betting become a harmful addiction? This question is offered far too little. In a world full of addictions it often feels like gambling gets swept under the rug. Pew Research Center did a study concluding that 22% of people have personally bet money in the last year. Meanwhile only 43% of people say that it is a bad thing for society.
One of the root causes of gambling addictions is its normalization in recent years, especially in America. Today, when people turn on the TV they are bombarded with DraftKings and BetMGM advertisements. In December DraftKings signed a deal with ESPN integrating DraftKings into ESPN’s platforms, ESPN now has dedicated betting analysts encouraging people to bet on Draft Kings.
With betting and sports being tied so closely together problems are bound to occur. Athletes have increasingly been getting threatened and verbally abused because of gambling. In 2025 the NCAA ran a study finding that 36% of D1 basketball players have experienced verbal abuse on social media or in person in the last year. This problem is only going to get worse if sportsbetting continues to be more normalized.
Whether you like it or not, another problem with sports betting is that you’re losing money. Despite what the news says or even how you feel the facts are only 3% of sports betters make a profit on the year. The truth is you only hear about the big wins, nobody hears or cares about the small weekly losses gamblers have 90% of the time.
With sports betting legal in 38 states statistics show the harmful effects of legalized sports betting. The American Institute of Boys and Men found that in these 38 states debt consolidation loans were up 10% directionally. Credit scores are also down by 0.3% in states with legalized sports betting. On top of these states with access to legalized online sports betting, this effect nearly triples.
Sportsbooks are able to hook people on sports betting because of its advertising strategies. Sportsbooks offer customers deals so good that they can’t refuse, one example of this is Draftkings iconic bet 5$ get 200$ instantly. These companies are able to literally give away money because of the fact that many customers will become life long gamblers.
Gambling doesn’t just hurt people’s wallets but also their own well being. The National Council on Problem Gambling, states that approximately 2.5 million U.S. adults suffer from severe gambling addiction. Adding on to this the American Psychology Association found that a shocking 96% of people with gambling problems also have at least one other psychological problem, showing the strong connection between gambling and mental health issues.
Not everyone that gambles is addicted, however there is a very fine line in between. With gambling normalized now, it’s as easy as ever for people to fall into gambling addictions. It is possible to have a healthy relationship with sports betting, but people must monitor their relationship with gambling. If you’re going to bet, being ready to lose is the best way to prevent a gambling addiction.
