Gambling ads are nearly inescapable; they are all over YouTube, commercials on television, and billboards on the side of roads. I recently opened Instagram, and the first video I saw promoted Rainbet, a crypto casino banned in the United States. Annoyed by the ad, I closed Instagram and switched to YouTube, only to be greeted with a DraftKings ad urging me to place a parlay on the NFL playoffs. Finally, I decided to do something more productive by reading a CNN article, where I was confronted by its partnership with Kalshi, a prediction market that circumvents gambling regulations by claiming to resemble a stock exchange.
No matter what app or website a user opens, gambling promotions bombard them. What once required a trip to the casino is now easily accessible 24/7 from the comfort of your home, enhanced by the addictiveness of cell phones. This aggressive marketing normalizes gambling and leads more Americans to addiction, presenting a grave risk to America as gambling destabilizes Americans’ finances. Congress and state legislatures must develop nuanced regulations in order to prevent addiction and maintain effective taxation.
Gambling began to expand after the 2018 Supreme Court decision in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which ended the federal ban on sports betting. Following this decision, 38 states legalized sports betting, with 30 now allowing online sports betting.
Since the Supreme Court decision, addiction rates have surged. In Virginia, the state’s gambling addiction hotline received a 973% increase in calls from 2019 to 2023 following legalization, a pattern mirrored in other states. Georgia may not have legalized sports betting yet, but Georgia legislators introduced a bill on Jan. 12 to legalize the practice, meaning these increases in gambling addictions could soon take over the “Peach State.” The allure of tax dollars is appealing, but Georgia must maintain its ban until gambling companies better safeguard against addiction.
Gambling addictions can afflict anyone, even the rich and famous. Take the case of Jontay Porter, a former NBA player for the Toronto Raptors. Porter bet tens of thousands of dollars and intentionally left games early to reap big wins. As a result, the NBA issued him a lifetime ban from the league, and he pleaded guilty to federal charges for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Unfortunately, Porter is not alone. NBA player Terry Rozier and NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups were both indicted for illegal gambling schemes in October 2025. More recently, federal prosecutors indicted 26 people in a point-shaving scheme focused on college basketball games to win bets. It is concerning that leagues like the NBA have partnered with sportsbooks as players and fans become addicted to gambling. Leagues like the NBA should end these partnerships, and if they do not, Congress must step in and regulate them.
Adding to concern is apps such as Fliff, which intentionally circumvent age restrictions, offering coins to their users, which they can trade for cash, allowing underage users to gamble. Congress should introduce a ban on age restriction loopholes like Fliff’s, along with better regulating celebrity gambling endorsements, so that fewer young people come into contact with these highly addictive products.
While Murphy v. NCAA struck down the federal ban on sports betting, the decision does not eliminate the possibility of federal regulation. Congress could pass Rep. Ritchie Torres’ (D-N.Y.) bill cracking down on insider trading on prediction markets, and prediction markets should be federally banned as well. In the meantime, state gaming commissions, such as New York’s, should classify prediction markets as gambling products and go after prediction markets for offering sports betting in their states without a license. However, states with legal sports betting should not ban it again because the loss of tax revenue would significantly impact state budgets. Better regulation is the solution.
As students, we can make a difference in the future of betting markets. Gambling disproportionately affects those of our age; young people must take the lead in combating the issue and speaking out. Emory students should vote for lawmakers who are serious about regulating the gambling industry, and lawmakers must stop accepting campaign donations from an industry harming those they represent and whose interests are to make a profit, with any harm they create disregarded.
With better regulation of the Wild West that is the modern gambling industry, important state tax revenue can still be protected while not boosting gambling addictions.
Contact Aidan O’Sullivan at amosull@emory.edu
Aidan O'Sullivan (he/him) (26Ox, 28C) is a Political Science major from South Kingstown, Rhode Island. He is a big fan of the New York Giants, Mets, and Knicks. Outside the Wheel he enjoys playing sports like basketball and volleyball, spending time with friends, and reading. He is a part of the Oxford Student Government Association as a First Year Senator too.
