Articles and Videos – Family Council

Study Links Sports Betting to Binge Drinking Among Young Men

Mar 23, 2026Jerry CoxCasinos, GamblingCasino Gambling, Sports Betting

A new study shows sports betting’s legalization is linked to increases in binge drinking among young men.

Nationwide, sports betting is now legal in more than 30 states — including Arkansas, where people wagered an average of nearly $1.8 million every day on sports last year. The Arkansas Racing Commission recently voted to let FanDuel and DraftKings contract with two Arkansas casinos to run sportsbooks. But while sports betting is expanding across the country, the social cost is expanding as well.

Writing in Health Economics, researchers examined health data across multiple states, finding a 10% increase in binge drinking among young men in the wake of sports betting’s legalization.

The study’s authors concluded, “these findings suggest that the public health impact of [sports betting laws] may manifest in targeted ways – notably through elevated alcohol consumption in young males who already are heavy drinkers.”

We have written repeatedly about the harm of internet sports betting. Scientific research shows that young men who wager on sports may be at increased risk of physical and mental harm.

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.

Researchers have also linked legal sports betting to sharp increases in violent crime.

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

Arkansans need to understand that sports betting isn’t harmless entertainment — it’s predatory. It fosters addiction, and it is linked to serious problems that hurt individuals, families, and whole communities.

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

Lessons Learned: Why “Safe Sex” Messaging Failed

Mar 23, 2026Jerry CoxSex EducationChurch Ambassador Network, Sex Ed

For decades, public health campaigns promoted “safe sex” as the key to preventing sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies, and state and federal officials spent millions of dollars teaching comprehensive sex education to students. But evidence shows that despite the massive investment, STD rates and teen pregnancy rates have remained high.

After his election in 2008, President Obama’s administration gave Planned Parenthood millions of dollars in funding for comprehensive teen pregnancy prevention programs.

Experts later found students who went through Planned Parenthood’s sex education programs were often more likely to become pregnant or cause a pregnancy.

In other words, Planned Parenthood’s multimillion-dollar sex education program did exactly the opposite of what it was intended to do.

In 2016, researchers evaluating similar Teen Pregnancy Prevention programs around the country found the programs did not really change students’ behavior, writing:

Many of the [Teen Pregnancy Prevention program] evaluations saw positive impacts on measures such as knowledge and attitudes; however, these findings did not translate into positive behavioral changes.

In 2016 — while President Obama was still in office — the CDC released a 208-page report concluding teenagers who practiced abstinence were healthier in nearly every way than teenagers who were sexually active.

The CDC’s report looked at everything from seatbelt and bike helmet use to substance abuse, diet, exercise, and even tanning bed use.

Their conclusion was that sexually active teens were less healthy and engaged in riskier behavior across the board.

The Christian alternative to comprehensive sex education is a virtue‑based paradigm rooted in Scripture: “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18) and “Let marriage be held in honor among all” (Hebrews 13:4).

Purity and faithfulness are not fringe ideas but biblical truths that protect body, mind, soul, and community. That is a message that endures where education and messaging fail.

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

Arkansas A.G. Opposes Abortion, Socialism Sees Supportive Surge, and More

Mar 20, 2026Jerry CoxCurrent EventsCurrent Events, Weekly Rewind

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Here’s a quick recap of the week’s top stories from Family Council and our friends.

From Family Council

A Christian Reflection on the Dangers of Sports Betting: A growing body of research shows sports betting carries serious social costs. Christians need to understand what is at stake when it comes to gambling on sports. Keep Reading.

Arkansas Attorney General Asks Court to Dismiss Abortion Lawsuit: Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin’s office has asked a Pulaski County court to dismiss a lawsuit trying to strike down the state’s pro-life laws. Keep Reading.

One in Four Likely Voters Now Supports Socialism: Earlier this month Rasmussen reported that support for capitalism has declined since 2023, and a growing share of likely voters now say socialism is better. On the whole, most Americans still favor free markets — but that support has dwindled. Keep Reading.

Yet Another Study Shows Marijuana Use Raises Risk of Stroke: Researchers at the University of Cambridge released a study this month that demonstrates marijuana use raises a person’s risk of stroke by 37%. The the results were based on health data from more than 100 million participants in multiple studies over the course of several years. Keep Reading.

Guest Column: Jesus Would Have Baked the Cake (and other nonsense Jesus would not have done.): On a Saturday morning in 2012, sitting on my porch reading an actual newspaper, I first learned of a Denver baker named Jack Phillips. Keep Reading.

Making Sense of Mixed Signals on Church Attendance, Religious Affiliation in America: Some reports seem to show Christianity growing in America while others suggest it’s declining. Which is it? Keep Reading.

We Knew What A Woman Was: Our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom and XX-XY Athletics recently produced a video in celebration of Women’s History Month. The ad highlights how the ACLU’s legal team could not define the word “woman” for the U.S. Supreme Court. Watch It Here.