Super Bowl gambling: Does America have a problem?

In addition to very likely being one of the most-viewed sporting events in the world, Super Bowl LVIII is expected to be one of the largest sports betting events in U.S. history, with tens of millions of Americans expected to wager billions of dollars on Sunday ’s matchup.But experts say the advent and rapid expansion of legalized, online sports betting has led to an unprecedented accessibility to gambling and the problems that can arise from it.The American Gaming Association, a gambling industry organization,  estimated this week that a record 67.8 million American adults will bet on the matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers — a 35% increase from last year’s Super Bowl. About $23.1 billion in wagers — including traditional wagers and casual bets among friends and family — are expe cted to be placed, up from the estimated $16 billion last year, according to the association.So far, 38 states and Washington, D.C., have adopted a legalized sports betting market since 2018, though some are limited to in-person betting only. For the remaining states, including California, sports gambling of any kind, whether online or in-person, remains illegal, though that could soon change in some states. The Georgia Legislature is currently debating a bill to legalize sports betting, which could take effect as soon as 2025.  Dr. Timothy Fong, a UCLA Health psychiatrist and co-director of the  UCLA Gambling Studies Program, was asked to explain how the par...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news