Any activity is defined as a vice if it causes measurable harm both to individuals and societally. Gambling is unequivocally a vice. The reason to legalize it is because legalizing and regulating gambling does less harm than criminalizing it, but that means that the regulations should be designed to minimize harm. But the reason why states have actually been legalizing gambling is to raise revenue, so the regulations are instead designed to maximize revenue while either ignoring the aspects that cause the most harm or still criminalizing them. It's an inherent contradiction that has a measurably negative impact.
Also, as a sports fan, I find sport gambling super boring, and the amount of discussion around betting and odds instead of the actual sports themselves makes the act of watching sports way less interesting.
I think this is a very bad development for society, the worst part being the leagues embracing of it. (I saw yesterday how the NFL wouldn’t even allow SB commercials about Vegas tourism 10 years ago.) I have stopped expecting sports leagues from having much credibility.
We can only hope that we will see social science data on how big of a problem this is.
I have absolutely no inclination to gamble, so I profess no empathetic insight into the mentalities of people who do. Still, I can't help wondering whether the growth of gambling is appreciably driven by the dwindling prospects of most people to attain financial security by more traditional means. As Irvine Welsh put it awhile back regarding drugs:
"You can't really say to the kids in the schemes [Scottish council estates]: don't do drugs, they'll wreck your life, you'll never get a job or a house or buy nice things ... People can't get jobs. People will never buy a house. They can't buy nice things. Everything is fucked even if you're not on drugs."
Of course, drug addiction is a kind of hell. So is gambling addiction, but I suspect increasingly many people feel they have little to lose, so why not take a chance that might pay off big?
Growing up I played illegal pick em games and the occasional poker night. Then I lived for 20 years in the UK, a place where gambling was legal and, for some time, pretty heavily regulated (less so now that gambling companies have spent millions on lobbying efforts to loosen up restrictions on things like advertising and physical gambling outlets).
I came back to the U.S. and it was like a different country. Suddenly gambling everywhere, all the time, heavily promoted on the only live TV that matters these days, NFL football.
...the best gambling is quarters at a table or you and your buddies for beers at a bar...to me the gamification of life was surprise surprise not as fun as just actual life...i bet this doesn't get better anytime soon...i wonder what kind of gambling crypto credits future children will be gifted by the government...our future president an actual draft king, and A.I. having us all joust and fence in a fan duel...but the bright spot here is like weed in california, wouldn't be surprised if local bookies get better action because of this...why pay taxes on your celtics bet if you can get -103 action on a -110 line...at least that is what i am starting to see...
Great post (and I'm happy to see someone other than Nate Silver writing about poker and politics).
I absolutely agree that the explosion of sports betting is a concern (I saw as someone who, for a while, was following the NBA closely enough that I would have enjoyed better on it, if it was legal and, thankfully, follow it less closely now and have no illusions that I would be able to win money).
I'll also use this as an excuse to mention Corb Lund's songs about his poker habit:
As the NFL and NBA turn to gambling to increase revenue, are they going to start losing the dedicated local fans who root for the home team, no matter how long suffering, and importantly pass their fandom on to the next generation? Maybe casual fans and a huge gambling organization can exist side by side, but I’m not so sure.
More than the gambling it’s that it’s so boring to hear everyone’s “sure thing.” I reached peak gambling apathy when they had MJD’s ultimate underdog segment. The only person who cares about your bets is you
Any activity is defined as a vice if it causes measurable harm both to individuals and societally. Gambling is unequivocally a vice. The reason to legalize it is because legalizing and regulating gambling does less harm than criminalizing it, but that means that the regulations should be designed to minimize harm. But the reason why states have actually been legalizing gambling is to raise revenue, so the regulations are instead designed to maximize revenue while either ignoring the aspects that cause the most harm or still criminalizing them. It's an inherent contradiction that has a measurably negative impact.
Also, as a sports fan, I find sport gambling super boring, and the amount of discussion around betting and odds instead of the actual sports themselves makes the act of watching sports way less interesting.
I think this is a very bad development for society, the worst part being the leagues embracing of it. (I saw yesterday how the NFL wouldn’t even allow SB commercials about Vegas tourism 10 years ago.) I have stopped expecting sports leagues from having much credibility.
We can only hope that we will see social science data on how big of a problem this is.
Very interesting timing for this post when Nate Silver announced his latest book earlier today.
I have absolutely no inclination to gamble, so I profess no empathetic insight into the mentalities of people who do. Still, I can't help wondering whether the growth of gambling is appreciably driven by the dwindling prospects of most people to attain financial security by more traditional means. As Irvine Welsh put it awhile back regarding drugs:
"You can't really say to the kids in the schemes [Scottish council estates]: don't do drugs, they'll wreck your life, you'll never get a job or a house or buy nice things ... People can't get jobs. People will never buy a house. They can't buy nice things. Everything is fucked even if you're not on drugs."
(https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jul/02/trainspotting-author-irvine-welsh-book-choose-life-young-people)
Of course, drug addiction is a kind of hell. So is gambling addiction, but I suspect increasingly many people feel they have little to lose, so why not take a chance that might pay off big?
Hey - it could be worse. You could be in New South Wales: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambling_in_Australia - where highly addictive poker machines are all over place with tens of billions of $ following thru them and their owners have the ability to remove government ministers who cross them: https://amp.abc.net.au/article/102072788
Growing up I played illegal pick em games and the occasional poker night. Then I lived for 20 years in the UK, a place where gambling was legal and, for some time, pretty heavily regulated (less so now that gambling companies have spent millions on lobbying efforts to loosen up restrictions on things like advertising and physical gambling outlets).
I came back to the U.S. and it was like a different country. Suddenly gambling everywhere, all the time, heavily promoted on the only live TV that matters these days, NFL football.
For many, this is not going to end well.
"If you can't spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, then you
are the sucker."
Know when to hold em
Know when to fold em
...the best gambling is quarters at a table or you and your buddies for beers at a bar...to me the gamification of life was surprise surprise not as fun as just actual life...i bet this doesn't get better anytime soon...i wonder what kind of gambling crypto credits future children will be gifted by the government...our future president an actual draft king, and A.I. having us all joust and fence in a fan duel...but the bright spot here is like weed in california, wouldn't be surprised if local bookies get better action because of this...why pay taxes on your celtics bet if you can get -103 action on a -110 line...at least that is what i am starting to see...
Great post (and I'm happy to see someone other than Nate Silver writing about poker and politics).
I absolutely agree that the explosion of sports betting is a concern (I saw as someone who, for a while, was following the NBA closely enough that I would have enjoyed better on it, if it was legal and, thankfully, follow it less closely now and have no illusions that I would be able to win money).
I'll also use this as an excuse to mention Corb Lund's songs about his poker habit:
"All I Want To Do Is Play Cards": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqrgLtBl9VA
"Game In Town Like This": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rov-tNCLleY
(and, note, despite the second song being about losing, another songwriter has written, "don't play cards for money with Corb Lund" :)
As the NFL and NBA turn to gambling to increase revenue, are they going to start losing the dedicated local fans who root for the home team, no matter how long suffering, and importantly pass their fandom on to the next generation? Maybe casual fans and a huge gambling organization can exist side by side, but I’m not so sure.
More than the gambling it’s that it’s so boring to hear everyone’s “sure thing.” I reached peak gambling apathy when they had MJD’s ultimate underdog segment. The only person who cares about your bets is you