Legalized sports betting has become a prominent discussion among state legislatures. Online betting has become a multi-billion-dollar industry, and sports betting is at the head of the operation, bringing in a 40% share of the income, which is more than even online casinos. Sports betting can be as simple as predicting who wins or loses in a game, or as complicated as a statistical achievement for an athlete or team.
“In modesty … I think [gambling] is OK and it’s a good way to spread awareness of teams and the expectation of the game,” says freshmen sports communications major Grant Prather. “I think in modesty, it’s a good thing.”
The methods of online sports betting have taken new forms. There are bets for over/under, total points scored, money line against the odds and more. Because of online platforms, these forms of betting are readily available and easily accessible. There are brands such as Draft Kings that offer deals that say that they will cover bettors’ first deposits. Some bettors are involved less for the reward and more invested in the fun of betting, and there are options where these people can earn rewards for their bets without any kind of monetary investment.
“I think it’s because it makes [the leagues] money and it’s easy,” says Prather. “Whenever you win, you get a big dopamine rush or you have something positive go for you, so when stuff like that happens people want to do it more and more and more; that’s why gambling is so addictive.”
Professional athletes have been severely punished for participating in sports betting. Pete Rose’s Baseball Hall of Fame consideration has been discarded for betting on himself and his team. Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended a whole season because of similar behavior. The reason why sports betting has become such a taboo practice for athletes and coaches is because of the leagues’ concept of “integrity of the game”.
“I think [critics argue about “integrity of the game”] because [sports] has changed a lot over the last couple years,” says Prather. “You look at games in the 60s and it was all sportsmanship. Now it’s gone into a more media-based, industrialized type of league, depending on what you’re looking at. I mean pretty much every league has gone in that direction, but I do think they’re trying to preserve what it once was before it gets too out of hand.”
There seem to be some irregularities when it comes to the relationship between professional sports leagues and online sports betting. Draft Kings has become a major sponsor for the NFL, yet the league punishes players for whole seasons when they place bets on sports, not just American football. One argument for why this is equally punishable is that athletes across multiple sports often use the same agents for their contracts. Therefore, there is a worry of connections to the sports betting subjects that could potentially compromise the bet’s results.
“I think [athletes betting on themselves] can, for at least the sports organizations themselves, kind of become a trust issue,” says Prather. “I don’t know how it makes sense, but I think it becomes a trust issue for those organizations when they see their players start to bet on other things; because then it creates a possibility for them to bet on their own games.”
The issue of sports betting is a process of legalization across America for all citizens. However, the discussion is still open as to whether it violates the “integrity of the game” or is a motivation tactic for athletes who “bet on themselves” to succeed. Leagues seem to represent a double standard by promoting and allowing gambling platforms to sponsor them but then suspend athletes for extensive periods when they engage in those sponsors.
“Normal civilians that aren’t sports players have no stake in an NFL game; and an NFL player has no stake in an NBA game,” says Prather. “There’s nothing that [betting players] can do to change that. It’s up to the NBA players, and it’s the same thing as if I were to bet on an NBA game. So, I do think it’s very hypocritical.”
In the NFL, professional athletes who gamble have been suspended for longer periods than athletes who are suspended for illegal performance-enhancing drugs or are charged with domestic violence or sexual misconduct.
Whether the leagues realize it or not, the message being sent here is that gambling is far more detrimental to the “integrity of the game” than felony misconduct. Is this ethical? Unfortunately, the answer to that question isn’t for the fans to decide.
Are athletes not, in their own respects, sports fans? Is an athlete betting that they will score a certain number of points any different from someone in a casino betting that when they spin a wheel the ball will land on a red 20? Maybe athletes should be given this liberty, especially if leagues are going to continue to promote this activity for any other consumer. If not, then maybe sports shouldn’t partner with gambling sites at all.
Gambling can be addictive. If you struggle with gambling addiction, help is available for you through the National Problem Gambling Hotline at 1-800-GAMBLER.
