Will gambling ruin the NFL and sports in general?

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

I think the eventual downfall of the NFL will be either CTE or gambling. The ads are plastered literally everywhere and impossible to escape. And they make it so much easier than in the past because now you can wager your entire life savings in a matter of minutes within the comfort of your home. Before it was a process so you had time to think about what you were doing.
 

It’s a huge exploitation of the fan base IMO. One of the most (if not THE most) dangerous addictions you can have, I’ve actually known a couple people who ended their lives due to losing insane amounts of money. The fact that the NFL is so heavily in bed with alcohol & gambling companies sickens me. It’s a slap in the face to the hardworking fans who line their pockets. 

So I stand by my opinion. Gambling and by default GREED is going to ruin this once great sport. What’s sad is it’s going on in all levels so it’s not like I can switch to college football. I know shady stuff has been happening in pro sports since the 1919 World Series, but I believe the problem is much more rampant. What’s to stop a referee from throwing a couple flags to affect the point spread? There are BILLIONS at stake for these companies. It makes collusion even more likely between them and the NFL. 

 

 

[longtimebillsfan]

There has always been gambling in sports.  Now that it's legal, it can be monitored.

 

England has had sports betting for a long time.

 

I believe sports will coexist with betting and be just fine.

[MJS]

Nope.

[Richard Noggin]

37 minutes ago, longtimebillsfan said:

There has always been gambling in sports.  Now that it's legal, it can be monitored.

 

England has had sports betting for a long time.

 

I believe sports will coexist with betting and be just fine.

 

LOT more accessible now, so it will likely find more people whose predilections would have otherwise never been unearthed. 

 

The idea that it's regulated now, and therefore somehow more controlled, is a nice concept I hope could be true. But that seems unlikely. 

 

Either way, sports and sports betting can never be uncoupled now. So they will coexist as long as sports media contracts continue to prop up the insane appetites of all professional sports ownership groups. There is still much room for growth, provided the proposed new markets will continue to accept what we're selling. Seems likely to go on for at least a bit longer, innit? 

[Mikie2times]

Part of me knows anybody who really wants it will find it. But the other part says accessibility is so easy it will tap users who never would have considered it prior. But it’s everywhere now. No putting it back in the bag. To undue it would be just as difficult as it was to get it legalized. 

[GunnerBill]

Does sports betting lead to the odd instance of attempted match fixing? Yes. Does it lead to rampant or industrial level cheating that ruins sports? No. 

[BullBuchanan]

The NFL is far more likely to ruin their own game by way of rule and format changes due to their own greed, than sports betting is, IMO.

[Special K]

The sports leagues are in partnership with these gambling sites.....they are making money just like the gambling companies....... the 9 year old kid whose father blows the rent money betting the under on Chiefs/Texans is the one who will be ruined.

 

Openly encouraging gambling is akin to having commercials on TV promoting Heroin......they make all the money, not for one second thinking about the victims that are left in their wake.

 

Sure there are people who can handle a little harmless fun betting on sports, but spare a thought for the people who have an addiction to gambling and especially their family members who suffer the consequences of those people's actions.

[longtimebillsfan]

2 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

 

LOT more accessible now, so it will likely find more people whose predilections would have otherwise never been unearthed. 

 

The idea that it's regulated now, and therefore somehow more controlled, is a nice concept I hope could be true. But that seems unlikely. 

 

Either way, sports and sports betting can never be uncoupled now. So they will coexist as long as sports media contracts continue to prop up the insane appetites of all professional sports ownership groups. There is still much room for growth, provided the proposed new markets will continue to accept what we're selling. Seems likely to go on for at least a bit longer, innit? 

I live in Las Vegas.  Believe me,betting is monitored and controlled.  Betting trends are carefully watched and any large or unusual bets are flagged and investigated.

 

With the money the betting industry generates, many eyes are on every aspect.  It is nieve to think betting is beyond control.

[SydneyBillsFan]

Geez I hate gambling.

 

In any event, I reckon the odds of this thread degenerating into a sh1tfight are about 10/9 on.

[Figster]

17 minutes ago, longtimebillsfan said:

I live in Las Vegas.  Believe me,betting is monitored and controlled.  Betting trends are carefully watched and any large or unusual bets are flagged and investigated.

 

With the money the betting industry generates, many eyes are on every aspect.  It is nieve to think betting is beyond control.

 Nieve to think betting is beyond corruption IMO.

[GunnerBill]

Americans have a really odd perspective on gambling (especially sports betting) to a Brit. And I think it is proof that criminalising something (or only legalising it in very select circumstances) as was the case in the US until more recent times increases the public perception of the danger associated with it. 

 

That isn't to say that there are not dangers associated with sports betting. There are. Gambling addiction is real and there are people who suffer from it and the corruption risk while small does exist.

 

But it has been legal in the UK for decades, certainly my entire life, and it hasn't led to a break down of society or some major undiluted corruption of our lives and our sports. Having a couple of quid on first goalscorer at the game you are going to on a Saturday or a fiver on an accumulator is much part of the ritual of being an English football fan as the half time pie and the post match pint. 

[machine gun kelly]

I don’t care if others gamble, but it’s not for me.  Someone in my family became addicted to gambling, and almost ruined him.  I don’t even do fantasy football.  My friends always bug me to join their fantasy league, but I always decline.

 

It’s a risky endeavor with the potential for a problem.

[Lost]

3 hours ago, Special K said:

the 9 year old kid whose father blows the rent money betting the under on Chiefs/Texans is the one who will be ruined.

 

 

As the father of the 9 year old kid I can say that you are wrong.   I had to sell him to pay my rent but I hear he is doing fine now with his new family.  

[longtimebillsfan]

1 hour ago, Figster said:

 Nieve to think betting is beyond corruption IMO.

I didn't say there would be not corruption.  It will be controlled sufficiently to minimize any negative effect on sports.

[Buffalo Boy]

6 hours ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

I think the eventual downfall of the NFL will be either CTE or gambling. The ads are plastered literally everywhere and impossible to escape. And they make it so much easier than in the past because now you can wager your entire life savings in a matter of minutes within the comfort of your home. Before it was a process so you had time to think about what you were doing.
 

It’s a huge exploitation of the fan base IMO. One of the most (if not THE most) dangerous addictions you can have, I’ve actually known a couple people who ended their lives due to losing insane amounts of money. The fact that the NFL is so heavily in bed with alcohol & gambling companies sickens me. It’s a slap in the face to the hardworking fans who line their pockets. 

So I stand by my opinion. Gambling and by default GREED is going to ruin this once great sport. What’s sad is it’s going on in all levels so it’s not like I can switch to college football. I know shady stuff has been happening in pro sports since the 1919 World Series, but I believe the problem is much more rampant. What’s to stop a referee from throwing a couple flags to affect the point spread? There are BILLIONS at stake for these companies. It makes collusion even more likely between them and the NFL. 

 

 

It isn’t the NFL

It’s corporate greed. It is the commodification of every last aspect of our “society”.
“ The ads are plasters literally everywhere “…… It is impossible to watch anything on tv without having a drug for the most arcane malady hawked to you, followed by a fast food commercial that probably leads to the necessity of the aforementioned drug….

But, I whole heartedly agree that it’s sad. For me, it’s the suspicion it gives me after every blown or spurious call by the refs.

But, here we are, on a fan thread, obsessing about our team daily….. 

A captive audience 

[BillMafia716ix]

Gambling just part of sports culture. Hell people be  gambling at pee wee football games lol

[Billy Claude]

It won't ruin the NFL or sports but it will ruin many people and their families.  There should be some control:

 

1.  Ban advertising for gambling the same way it is banned for cigarettes.  This has the added advantage of not having to see Kevin Hart every 10 minutes.

 

2. Ban the use of credit cards for gambling.  This is already true in the UK and many states.

 

3. Ban gambling in any event that already started.  This means when an addict loses a prop bet they at least have to switch to another game to get their fix.

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Billy Claude

[eball]

5 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

Does sports betting lead to the odd instance of attempted match fixing? Yes. Does it lead to rampant or industrial level cheating that ruins sports? No. 

 

Yup.  Some Americans think anything that happens in ‘merica means more because it’s ‘merica, despite the fact that the rest of the world has somehow been able to handle legalized gambling on sports.

 

[Gregg]

Gambling has been around forever. Why would it ruin the NFL now. I have been in my company's office pool for a long time now. We also do a Super Bowl pool every year. It's fun and it makes the games you don't really care who wins more interesting if you have money on it.