The Big Gamble

The past five years have seen the fastest expansion of legalized gambling in the history of the United States. Thirty states have legalized online sports betting ushering in billions in revenue for gambling operators. The betting rush has also resulted in an increase in problem gamblers, and phone calls to helplines have skyrocketed since the Supreme Court decision in 2018 that altered the betting landscape.

All of the professional sports leagues in the US have built partnerships with gambling companies. The National Football League (NFL) even staged the Super Bowl in Las Vegas this year for the first time. Industry watchers are concerned that gambling companies are using sports betting as a stepping stone to their ultimate goal, casino-style gambling games on every smartphone in the country.

This episode of Fault Lines will peel back the curtain on the gambling industry and delve deep into the rise in problem gambling in the US.