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Super Bowl of Gambling


Gambling is a form of entertainment. I mean, have you ever played those shiny new slot machines before? They are extremely addicting and a cause for a good time. Gambling is a legitimate source of recreation that is completely for adults. Well, I guess the legitimate aspect could be argued. However, I have a question to those who are feeling argumentative... why is sport gambling so successful?

Seriously, look at all of that FUN.

Engaging in this playful form of entertainment benefits not only the individual but the economy as well. The New Yorker recently reported that The National Gambling Impact Study Commission estimates over $300 billion are gambled on sporting events annually. Now just imagine if gambling was properly regulated and legalized in all 50 states… the potential revenue generation would be enormous. In a sinking economy any avenue in which to generate revenue has to be considered, right? There are 1.6 billion people who participate in gambling per year.

One thing we can count on is that everyone seems to have an opinion about whether or not sport gambling should be legislated. Just think about the last time you were caught an in-depth conversation about how the sporting world changed. This conversation has the potential to go on forever as the sporting world is ever changing. It is evolving on a daily basis as society and culture continues to shape everything that is happening in the United States. These conversations occur between friends, family, coworkers, colleagues, and in classrooms. The one aspect of these conversations is that they tend to skew in a negative direction towards sports. Sports have a tendency to be remembered better “back in the day” than they are now. An argument can be made that players have lost sight of love for the game and that they are all about the money. I am sure you may have heard this before. 

Even the shorts are different... Thank God. 

What I am going to say next should come as no surprise to you but when we converse and debate about sport, analyze who was the best, and who would win in today’s game there is one thing that remains true… no one has the answer to these questions! People can, and do, complain about this topic for hours, but have no solution as to how the world of sport needs to change. 

I bring up the great sport debate because it shows how we often argue about these sport topics that are irrelevant outside of that individual discussion. We devote countless hours on these hypotheticals. However, conversations on sport gambling are relevant. In a time when so many people seem to be against sport gambling, a great many people partake in the activity... again, nothing changes. Why not legalize it? An argument for the legalization of sport gambling is that it popularizes sport, stimulates growth of the economy, and that the financial benefits outweigh the (potential) social cost. 

The biggest game of the year is creeping upon us and you better believe that Las Vegas is busy, busy, busy. 2014 was a record-breaking year for gambling on the Super Bowl. Over $119.4 million was wagered with a $19.7 million profit (way to go, Seattle)! Some believe that the brilliant season that Peyton Manning was having helped spur on those bets, but something is telling me that he may not be the factor this time around. Last season saw a game between New England and those same Seattle Seahawks come down to the last second with the Vegas line hanging in the balance.

Congratulations to those who bet on Seattle.

Gambling may also have a positive impact in keeping certain sports alive. How many of us watch horse races? I do not just mean the Kentucky Derby. Gambling helped make horse racing one of the most popular sports in the mid-20th century. With large taxes being placed upon these bets being made, it represented a significant amount of income for the state, and also boosted the popularity of the sport. Horse racing actually brings in about $3.25 billion per year. 

Another sport that has suffered greatly from a decline in popularity is boxing. Yes, the sport that boasts Floyd "Money" Mayweather is not as popular today as it was even ten years ago. I think you may be able to guess why. Think back to that fight between Mayweather and Pacquaio... I know it was not everything everyone thought it was going to be. Obviously no one was expecting that boring of a fight yet the fight still generated millions of dollars in wagers. Although it has been replaced by MMA in terms of popularity, boxing was once the pinnacle of sport entertainment in the United States and gambling was a large reason why. 

"Hugging" because... They just made millions of dollars. 

Here is another reason why gambling should be legalized… more betting means more casinos and more casinos means more jobs. In 2012, the U.S. commercial casinos employed 332,075 people and paid wages of $13.2 billion. This is a hot button issue during this presidential election season. Creating more jobs is something we want in the U.S., correct? The job creation established from legalized gambling would provide employment to many.

Honestly, sport gambling is comparable to prohibition. It is so universal and it is nearly impossible to police. It is something that will happen regardless of whether it is considered illegal and generates money for the economy. Adam Silver, the Commissioner of the NBA, is quite the advocate for gambling. He has stated that it is good for business and he would not shy away from it. Silver knows that a sport betting is going to happen regardless of what the league does, so it only makes sense to legalize it and be able to control and monitor it. As a Commissioner, Silver wants to protect the integrity of the game. Being able to obtain all of the information, monitoring it all becomes the key to success. 

Anyone down for a trip to Vegas tomorrow?

Even though there are four states with legalized sport gambling, only 1% of sports betting is legal. This means that the other 99% of the total profit is done illegally and not being taxed or monitored. 

Some argue that placing bets on sports will tarnish the integrity of the game. I cannot argue definitively whether it would or would not. We are spectators of sport and Adam Silver is the Commissioner of the National Basketball Association. He obtains all in-depth knowledge and wants to be able to protect the integrity of the game. The sports that we consume on a daily basis are social constructions that are extremely beneficial. 
Seriously. Just look at how much we, as a society, depend on sport. I do not know about you, but there are days where sports are considered therapy. Plain and simple, sport provides people a form of escapism. If we need someone to police integrity… well, let’s leave that to commissioners like Adam Silver.

Adam Silver, Commission of the NBA

As long as the professional athletes, managers, owners, and organizational personnel do not partake in the gambling activities, the world of sport will be protected. Professional athletes are likely unaware of the bets that we may place each week… except if you are Floyd Mayweather. That dude is known to make bets on anything. Athletes have their job to do, likely love their job, have a passion for sport, and pay no mind to the betting lines and wagers. 

The world of sports is not perfect, but no one is quick to jump the gun and figure out ways to "fix" it because it is fine just the way it is. After all, people around the world are tuning in each and every week/weekend to many of these games. What harm could gambling REALLY do? I believe that Cam and Peyton will be running out onto Levi's Stadium on Sunday playing their hearts out regardless of the point spread and the money that has been gambled. 

... Now that is something I would be willing to bet on!

Enjoy the game, folks. 








American Gaming Association. (2013). Sports wagering. Retrieved from http://www.americangaming.org/industry-resources/research/fact-sheets/sports-wagering
American Gaming Association. (2013). State of the states: The AGA survey of casino entertainment. Retrieved from http://www.americangaming.org/sites/default/files/uploads/docs/aga_sos2013_fnl.pdf
Borghesi, R. (2008). Widespread corruption in sports gambling: Fact or fiction?. Southern Economic Journal, 74(4), 1063-1069
Claussen, C. L., & Miller, L. K. (2001). The gambling industry and sports gambling: A stake in the game?. Journal Of Sport Management, 15(4), 350.
Clotfelter, C. & Cook, P. (1989). Selling hope: state lotteries in America. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Mahan III, J.E., Drayer, J., & Sparvero, E. (2012, September). Gambling and Fantasy: An examination of the influence of money on fan attitudes and behaviors. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 21(3), 159-169.
Surowiecki, J. (2013). A call to action. The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2013/02/11/130211ta_talk_surowiecki








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