Revisiting How Sports Betting Hurts Young Adults

Gambling,

There is evidence that mobile sports betting apps may use the same addictive technology as other tech platforms to hook people on gambling.

Young people are particularly vulnerable. Research shows that gambling is more addictive for college-aged individuals. Player prop bets let college students to engage in “micro-betting,” a more repetitive — and therefore more addictive — form of sports betting.

Twenty-year-old males account for approximately 40% of calls to gambling addiction hotlines, and upwards of 20 million men are in debt or have been in debt as a result of sports betting.

The numbers in Arkansas are alarming. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that Arkansans wagered a staggering $655 million on sports betting last year. State tax revenue data shows that more than 90% of sports wagers are now placed through mobile apps.

Mobile betting has caused a wave of financial misery. One writer at The Atlantic described the impact as “a wave of financial and familial misery” for households that are least able to afford it. A UCLA study found that states with online sportsbooks saw credit scores decline three times as much as states with only physical betting locations.

Internet searches for gambling addiction help have skyrocketed. Researchers found a 35% increase in searches for gambling addiction terms in Illinois and a 37% increase in Michigan following the legalization of mobile sportsbooks.

Arkansas families are seeing the consequences. In 2024, the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council announced a 22% increase in calls for help with problem gambling — driven largely by sports betting.

Arkansas families need to understand that mobile sports betting isn’t harmless entertainment — it’s predatory technology that fosters addiction and hurts families and communities.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE

Racing Commission Approves FanDuel, DraftKings to Partner with Arkansas Casinos

Gambling,

On Thursday the Arkansas Racing Commission approved sports betting license applications by FanDuel and DraftKings.

DraftKings reportedly will partner with Southland Casino in West Memphis, and FanDuel will partner with Oaklawn Casino in Hot Springs.

Nationwide, sports betting is now legal in 39 states, and in Arkansas people wager an average of nearly $1.8 million on it every day. But a growing body of evidence shows sports betting is harmful — and that Internet sports betting is especially destructive.

Studies indicate people who gamble on sports may be twice as likely to suffer from gambling problems. When sports gambling happens online, the rate is even higher.

A study by Northwestern University found that for every dollar spent on sports betting, household investment falls by an average of $2. Researchers at UCLA estimate that online sportsbooks are linked to an increase of roughly 30,000 more bankruptcies per year nationwide.

Some online sportsbooks have actually produced advertisements that seem to promote compulsive gambling and other problem-gambling behavior.

In 2023, FanDuel released one commercial that showed people so focused on sports betting that they ignored everyone else around them.

Another ad promoted taking advantage of every opportunity to gamble.

In 2024, FanDuel aired commercials encouraging people to gamble on “surprising” hunches — including powerful hunches that strike between football plays.

More recent commercials advertise “playoff mode” with promotional offers such as $300 in “bonus bets.”

Gamblers who ignore loved ones, wager nonstop, or place bets “on a hunch” quite possibly suffer from gambling addiction, and high-end promotional offers may appeal to people who struggle with gambling problems.

Sports betting is out of control. It’s corrupting sports, and it’s ruining lives.

Tax revenue from gambling has not improved Arkansas’ roads or boosted the economy. As powerful corporations try to make gambling part of everyday life, it’s important for Arkansas to protect its citizens and families from predatory gambling.

Otherwise gambling addiction will simply continue wrecking lives and hurting families in our state.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE

Arkansas’ Tax Revenue from Sports Betting Likely Comes at a High Cost

Gambling,

Arkansas collected over $7 million in sports betting tax revenue in 2025, but the real cost to Arkansas families may be much higher.

Arkansas sports betting revenue is growing rapidly. According to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, the state collected $7.229 million in tax revenue from sports betting between January and October of 2025 — up 28.1% from the same period in 2024. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports Arkansans wagered $655 million on sports betting last year.

But the tax revenue comes at a devastating cost to Arkansas families. The Arkansas Problem Gambling Council announced a 22% increase in calls for help with problem gambling in 2024, driven largely by sports betting.

The National Council on Problem Gambling reports that “the rate of gambling problems among sports bettors is at least twice as high as among gamblers in general.” When sports gambling is conducted online, the rate is even higher.

Research shows the hidden costs far exceed the tax benefits. The Northwestern University study found that for every dollar spent on sports betting, household investing falls by an average of $2. A UCLA study estimated that online sportsbooks are linked to an increase of roughly 30,000 more bankruptcies per year nationwide.

Arkansas families deserve better than trading their financial security for state tax revenue. The $7 million Arkansas collected in 2025 pales in comparison to the financial devastation that sports betting brings.

Sports betting is not a harmless pastime. As powerful corporations try to make gambling part of everyday life, it’s important for Arkansas to protect citizens and families from predatory gambling. Otherwise, problem gambling will simply hurt more and more people in our state.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE