sports bet online
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now main 3 26 primary 7 26 meld w predictive mkts ai
SEE GAMBLING
SEE DEREG
BALLROOM INAUGUR
SEE SUPERPAC 3
// GIG ECONOMY LOBBYING? // LEGAL POT EG lINDSEY gRAHAm?
texas?
FAN DUEL DRAFT KINGS
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9 26 y mail
New from GPAHE: Betting Your Future: Crypto Casinos Radicalizing Young Men into Hate
Crypto casinos are becoming a new pipeline into far-right radicalization. Largely unregulated gambling platforms such as Duel, Stake, and Rainbet use influencers with millions of followers, including neo-Nazis and manosphere figures, to promote gambling while amplifying hate. As gambling debt and financial instability increase vulnerability, the industry is creating a dangerous convergence of addiction and extremist recruitment.
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MTA GMAIL 8 28 26
A new class of political kingmakers is emerging in the 2026 elections—and they are not voters.
Artificial-intelligence, cryptocurrency and online-gambling corporations have poured approximately $344 million into efforts to influence the 2026 federal elections. Overall, corporations contributed a record $646 million to Super PACs and other political committees during the 18 months ending in June 2026—already 40 percent more than the $461 million disclosed during the entire 2024 election cycle. These totals exclude undisclosed contributions to dark-money organizations, meaning the true level of corporate political spending is likely even higher.
Companies including Coinbase, Ripple, OpenAI, Anthropic and DraftKings are helping build political operations designed to shape congressional races and the regulations governing their industries...
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GGL 7 26
AI Overview
FanDuel and DraftKings are pouring tens of millions into lobbying and super PACs, including the $41 million sports betting Win for America super PAC. Both companies donated heavily to Donald Trump’s inaugural committee, with DraftKings giving $502,000 and FanDuel contributing $482,000. [1, 2]
An overview of their political contributions and lobbying efforts reveals:
- Win for America Super PAC: DraftKings and FanDuel are the primary funders of this super PAC, directing millions toward state legislative races to protect and expand online sports betting. [1]
- Bipartisan Congressional Influence: FanDuel gave $500,000 each to the Republican-aligned Senate Leadership Fund and Congressional Leadership Fund. On the same day, the company donated $500,000 each to their Democratic equivalents, the Senate Majority PAC and House Majority PAC. [1]
- Trump Inauguration Donations: Both platforms made six-figure in-kind donations to support President Donald Trump’s inaugural festivities, using the event to connect with state lawmakers. [1]
- Federal Lobbying Expenditures: Both companies have rapidly expanded their direct federal lobbying in Washington, with FanDuel and DraftKings spending nearly $2 million combined on lobbying disclosures through OpenSecrets. [1, 2]
Track official spending disclosures and recipient committees through the OpenSecrets Lobbying Profile and the Federal Election Commission. [1, 2, 3, 4]
ggl DraftKings and FanDuel spending millions on 2026 ...
Popular Information | Judd Legum
https://popular.info › draftkings-and-fanduel-spending-...
Feb 2, 2026 — The two largest online sports gambling companies, DraftKings and FanDuel, have already spent millions of dollars on the 2026 midterm ...
Missing: GOP | Show results with: GOP
Campaign Finance Roundup April 2026 - Pt. 1
https://americanpromise.net › campaign-finance-roundu...
From OpenSecrets: FanDuel and DraftKings, two popular online sports betting apps, have significantly increased their federal lobbying and campaign spending ...Read more
Missing: FUNDER DONOR GOP
FanDuel and DraftKings shift focus to D.C. amid federal ...
https://www.opensecrets.org › news › 2026/03 › fandue...
Mar 30, 2026 — In 2025, the sports betting giants multiplied their federal lobbying spending and contributed millions of dollars to political action committees ...Read more
Missing: GOP | Show results with: GOP
Sports Betting Industry Spends $41 Million to Influence ...
https://www.nytimes.com › U.S. › Politics
Apr 15, 2026 — With a well-funded super PAC, the betting platforms DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics are aiming to shape future regulation of their rapidly ...
Missing: ONLINE DONOR
Sportsbooks Hide Intent of Super PAC Local Election Ads
https://www.sportico.com › business › sports-betting › s...
Jun 30, 2026 — DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics and Bet365 are supporting local political ads that don't disclose their ties to gambling.
Missing: DONOR GOP
DraftKings, FanDuel invest heavily in PACs ahead of 2026 ...
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com › 2026/02/03
Feb 3, 2026 — DraftKings and FanDuel have already spent millions of dollars on the 2026 midterm elections as the companies face increased scrutiny on the ...
Missing: LOBBY | Show results with: LOBBY
FanDuel and DraftKings Fund $41 Million Lobbying Effort ...
https://www.pymnts.com › legal › fanduel-and-draftkin...
Apr 15, 2026 — Sports gambling platforms have contributed $41 million to a new federal super PAC this year, according to filings from the FEC.
Missing: DONOR TRUMP
Political Law Playbook – April 2026
https://www.dentons.com › insights › newsletters › politi...
Win for America, a new political group backed by DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics, has accumulated $41 million according to recent filings. While other ...
Gambling interests pour millions into key PA Senate ...
https://www.spotlightpa.org › News
May 15, 2026 — Sports betting and skill games interests have spent more than $8 million in PA Senate primaries, with opposite goals.
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MICHAEL LEWIS 11 24 ONLINE SPORTS BET PODCAST
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public cit rept 7 26
corporate Supremacist Super PACs
Cryptocurrency corporations drove the surge in 2024 corporate election spending, ultimately putting more than $170 million toward intervening in congressional races across the country and accounting for more than a third of the total sum of corporate money spent during that cycle.
Most of the 2026 surge also is attributable to the crypto sector, along with other sectors following crypto’s 2024 playbook of channeling millions into super PACs. These super PACs prioritize the interests of their business backers over either major political party or any candidate. Following the crypto playbook, they are set up to engage in both Democratic and Republican primaries and to support or attack candidates of either major party in the general election. This relatively new crop of corporate supremacist super PACs makes their prioritization of corporate self-interest explicit:
- Josh Vlasto, a leader of the crypto-prioritizing Fairshake super PAC – and a former chief of staff for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and top staffer for Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) – said in 2025 “We are building an aggressive, targeted strategy for next year to ensure that pro-crypto voices are heard in key races across the country.”
- Similarly, a statement on the website for the AI-prioritizing Leading the Future PAC – which Vlasto co-leads with Zac Moffatt, a former digital director for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign – states the political entity’s intention is “identifying, maintaining, and growing pro-AI candidates in order to support an AI innovation policy agenda at the state and federal level.”
- Similarly, an unnamed Win for America spokesperson told Axios the super PAC’s corporate backers “seek candidates who will thoughtfully approach regulation and ensure legal sports betting can continue to support communities through billions in tax revenue and jobs across America.”
Together, the crypto, AI, Big Tech, and online betting corporations have spent $294 million – 57% of the total 2026 midterm spending by corporations so far. Most of their spending (60%) has backed these corporate supremacist super PACs (see Table 1).
...
Table 2: Top 10 Corporate Super PAC Contributors from Crypto, Big Tech, AI, and Online Betting Sectors
CorporationTotal 2026 ContributionsRecipientsPolitical LeanAmount
Andreessen Horowitz$51.65 millionLeading the FutureCorporate$50 million
Congressional Leadership FundRepublican$1.65 million
Ripple Labs$49.6 millionFairshake and affiliatesCorporate$48.5 million
Commonwealth Prosperity FundRepublican$1 million
Congressional Leadership FundRepublican$100,000
Foris Dax (Crypto.com)$38.6 millionMAGA Inc.Republican$35 million
Keep America Great PAC, Inc.Republican$2.4 million
Senate Leadership Fund PACRepublican$740,000
Wisconsin Working PACUnknown$513,000
Coinbase$35.2 millionFairshakeCorporate$33 million
Senate Leadership Fund PACRepublican$500,000
Senate Majority ProjectDemocratic$500,000
Congressional Leadership FundRepublican$500,000
House Majority ProjectDemocratic$500,000
Bold AmericaDemocratic$50,000
Rolling Sea Action FundDemocratic$25,000
Winklevoss Capital Fund LLC and Gemini Trust Company$25.7 millionDigital Freedom FundRepublican$21.3 million
MAGA Inc.Republican$4.4 million
FanDuel$21.5 millionWin for AmericaCorporate$19.5 million
Senate Leadership Fund PACRepublican$500,000
Senate Majority ProjectDemocratic$500,000
Congressional Leadership FundRepublican$500,000
House Majority ProjectDemocratic$500,000
Black Bear PAC, Inc.Republican$25,000
DK Crown Holdings Inc. (DraftKings)$20 millionWin for AmericaCorporate$19.5 million
Senate Leadership Fund PACRepublican$500,000
Cantor Fitzgerald$10 millionFellowship PACRepublican$10 million
Blockchain.com, Inc.$5 millionMAGA Inc.Republican$5 million
Tools for Humanity Corporation$5 millionMAGA Inc.Republican$5 million
TOTAL$262 million----$262 million
Source: Public Citizen analysis of FEC data through the first quarter of 2026
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mma
Kalshi is aggressively advertising on TikTok, seemingly targeting young people while promising a “money hack”
Leading expert on gambling behavior tells Media Matters: “The younger you are when you start and the more frequent you do these activities, that’s where the likelihood of addiction and harm go up”
Written by Olivia Little
Updated 03/30/26
Update (3/30/26): Following publication of this article, Kalshi spokesperson Elisabeth Diana notified Media Matters that the company no longer works with any of the influencers in the advertisements featured below. Diana added: “We don't 'skirt regulation' — we're federally regulated by the CFTC. On Kalshi, unlike with sportsbooks and casinos, there is no 'house,' which means our revenue doesn't come from incentivizing people to lose. It's fairer and less predatory than gambling.”*
Kalshi has been flooding TikTok with advertisements seemingly targeting young people. The ads, which often promote using the platform regularly as a type of “side hustle,” set off alarm bells for a leading expert, who tells Media Matters that they could increase the likelihood of gambling addiction.
Kalshi is a prediction market platform that allows users to buy positions on the outcome of nearly any “economically relevant event.” Like Polymarket, the other major player in prediction markets, Kalshi is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a derivatives exchange listing futures contracts, which were traditionally reserved for major commodities, stock indexes, or interest rates. On Kalshi, prediction options range from the innocuous — who will win Survivor 50 — to more politically charged and morally dubious subjects — like how many deportations will occur this year.
Prediction markets have entered a “hypergrowth phase,” generating nearly $64 billion in trading volume last year — an increase of more than 400% from 2024. Sporting event contracts accounted for more than 80% of prediction market activity in 2025, though Kalshi fervently denies that trading on sports is the same as gambling.
Sports gambling is primarily regulated at the state level, and in most states the minimum legal age to gamble is 21. However, prediction market platforms have skirted these regulations by offering sports event contract trading to any user 18 years or older, even in states where sports gambling is illegal.
Dr. Timothy Fong, a clinical professor of psychiatry and co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program who has worked in the field for more than 20 years, told Media Matters that there is functionally very little difference between Kalshi and traditional gambling — and sometimes no difference at all.
“So I know when I download Kalshi and I want to put money on the Super Bowl — Kalshi gives me the option, I put my own real money on an event of uncertain outcome in the hopes of winning a larger reward at the expense of potentially losing my initial expense — that’s gambling,” said Fong. “It feels like gambling, it smells like gambling, and I think for some of the contract events it is identical.”
Now, TikTok users are being bombarded with ads suggesting Kalshi is a “money hack” that will enable them to make hundreds or even thousands of dollars from their phone.
Kalshi is flooding TikTok with ads that seem to target young people
Media Matters manually retrieved and documented Kalshi advertisements on TikTok because, unlike in the EU where TikTok is required to provide advertising repositories, the United States has no transparency mandates. It is impossible to know the full extent of Kalshi’s TikTok campaign, but our research helps piece together a glimpse into its advertising strategies. (This particular research focuses on TikTok, although Kalshi’s advertising wave has also hit other major social media platforms such as Instagram, Reddit, and YouTube.)
First, it is significant to note that Kalshi’s advertisements appear to predominantly feature and target young people. “We made a pact in this world where we said gambling is a 21-and-over activity, and yet these [ads] are clearly geared toward under-21 or right at that 21 level,” said Fong.
Nearly every advertisement we found features a young man or woman hyping up Kalshi’s platform and services. Often young men are featured in videos promoting sports trading and young women are featured in videos promoting Kalshi’s culture market.
:{Video
According to Fong, normalizing frequent engagement at a young age is a key contributor to future addiction. “When you borrow from the other lanes of addiction, the whole idea that this isn’t really harmful is what leads to early engagement and frequent engagement. And why that matters is that the younger you are when you start and the more frequent you do these activities, that’s where the likelihood of addiction and harm go up.”
Cait Huble, director of public affairs at the National Council on Problem Gambling, reviewed Kalshi advertisements documented by Media Matters and expressed concern about their framing. “In terms of some of the language that they’re using — if this was a regulated gambling operator, this would never pass a regulator’s test,” explained Huble. “The way they are positioning the expectation that you’re going to win, that there’s no clear explanation of the odds, things like what kind of skill it is.”
“This is functionally gambling,” Huble said.
One advertisement described Kalshi as a “money hack” and seemed to be trying to drive young people to its service by exploiting a sense of FOMO, or fear of missing out. “I don’t know why more people aren’t doing this, like, I literally made $761 and 7 cents last night,” a woman claimed. “I woke up this morning and it paid out. Why aren’t you guys doing this? It felt stupidly easy.”
:{Video
“The implication is that if you don’t bet on these things, you are missing out,” said Fong. “If you don't bet on this thing, you’re slow to uptake, you’re not cool. There’s kind of a Joe Camel kind of thing, with the smoking, where by association if you don’t do it you’re being left off the train.”
Another advertisement framed making weather predictions on Kalshi as a “side hustle” users can participate in from the comfort of their own home. The video shows a young woman on a couch lounging under a blanket, with on-screen text claiming to have “made $270 this week from my bed.”
:{Video
Of course, trading on Kalshi is fundamentally different from actual employment. “The side gig and the hustle [are] obviously very concerning — this is not a job,” said Fong. “That’s false advertising. The idea that, oh, there’s all this magic and partying and spectacular financial success, that this is a roadmap for you to have freedom financially is completely false.”
That doesn’t stop Kalshi’s advertisements from promising an easy way to earn money. “Trying to explain to myself how i just made $170 this week doing literally nothing but checking if it would rain (2026 is different),” read one, adding that the platform is “legal in all 50 states.”
But Kalshi is facing mounting legal challenges, particularly around allegations of sports betting. Arizona’s attorney general recently filed criminal charges against the platform over “illegal gambling,” a Massachusetts judge last month banned Kalshi from offering sports contracts without a state gaming license, and Nevada won a temporary restraining order on March 20 preventing Kalshi from offering event contracts related to sports, elections, and entertainment.
On March 23, Sens. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and John Curtis (R-UT) introduced a bipartisan bill that would ban prediction markets from accepting or listing sports events and casino-style games. “Sports prediction contracts are sports bets — just with a different name,” said Schiff. “These contracts are currently offered in all fifty states in clear violation of state and federal law.”
And the industry’s controversies don’t end with sports gambling. Prediction market users placing suspicious bets on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the start of the war in Iran have heightened scrutiny about the possibility of insider trading, leading the company to announce new efforts to crack down on market manipulation.
Meanwhile, Kalshi has a partnership “to incorporate real-time prediction data into CNBC’s editorial coverage,” a data integration agreement with CNN featuring “a new Kalshi-powered real-time news ticker that will run during segments that feature Kalshi data,” and a deal with The Associated Press ahead of this year’s midterms to “help campaigns and everyday citizens track market expectations for election outcomes.”
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McKay Coppins on the rise of gambling in America
Staff Writer for The Atlantic, McKay Coppins, jumped headfirst into the world of online sports-betting to learn more about the rise of gambling in America. He joins Stephanie Ruhle on The 11th Hour to discuss his piece "Sucker: My year as a degenerate gambler."
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The Nevada Independent
Indy Gaming: Why Texas is (for now) not likely to legalize sports betting
Texas is on Las Vegas Sands' radar once again for casino legalization. However, advisory firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming said the company is...
.3 weeks ago
Yogonet
Las Vegas Sands launches bid to legalize casino gambling in Texas, files petition
It files a petition aimed at legalizing casino gambling in Texas, famously known as the Lone Star state.
.Mar 29, 2024
KXAN Austin
Sports betting in Texas: Behind the push to legalize
Former Republican Gov. Rick Perry announced Thursday he'll be joining the Texas Sports Betting Alliance as a spokesperson.
.Nov 17, 2022
The Texas Tribune
Wanna bet? Texas Legislature to reconsider legalizing casinos and sports betting
Given the stiff headwinds to getting any expansion in gambling passed, sports betting and casino advocates may be competing against each...
.Jan 27, 2023
Axios
Rick Perry is living his dream
The longest-serving governor in Texas history now lives on 50 acres with his best friends from college. "I've never not liked what I did in...
.May 3, 2023
Corpus Christi Caller-Times
Gov. Greg Abbott: Sports betting 'just a form of entertainment'
Sports betting legislation is awaiting action in both the Texas House and Senate. The Republican governor said he is not standing in the way...
.Feb 23, 2023
Dallas News
Las Vegas Sands donated millions to Texas politicians ahead of gambling push
Las Vegas Sands has hired dozens of lobbyists and contributed millions of dollars to dozens of Texas lawmakers and legislative groups ahead of a renewed push...
.Jan 25, 2023
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Texas gambling opponents ready for battle
With major professional sports teams supporting efforts to legalize sports betting and one of the world's largest gambling companies backing a multimillion-...
.Feb 9, 2021
Sports Business Journal
SBJ Betting: Which states are next to open up?
There were 11 states on it: North Carolina, Minnesota, Missouri, Georgia, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, California, Florida and New York.
.Jan 6, 2023
Gaming Today
California, Florida, Texas Sports Betting Deserts Still
California, Texas, Florida sports betting legalization is the dream of the legal gambling industry in US because of their populations.
.Jan 17, 2023
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axios
Meanwhile: Perry has also joined the Sports Betting Alliance, the group lobbying to legalize mobile sports gambling in Texas — though he opposed any expansion of legal gambling while in office.
- "This one's different because this is not an expansion of gambling," Perry tells Axios. "There's $6 billion worth of mobile sports betting going on in the state of Texas, and the state of Texas doesn't get a dime of that. It's not regulated."
Between the lines: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has said he won't bring a sports betting bill to the floor without the support of Senate Republicans. Perry says he believes Patrick will change his mind.
- "I think the lieutenant governor is a true public servant," Perry says. "He does not want to be the individual who stands in the way of something that could help lower property taxes substantially."
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https://www.mediamatters.org/amazon/influencers-and-right-wing-figures-are-promoting-crypto-gambling-and-sports-betting-young
no lnx tet
mma 5 23
right-wing influencer and Andrew Tate fanboy Adin Ross sits behind his computer and streams brightly colored slot games, blackjack, and roulette to his audience of loyal fans. Ross has blown through gargantuan sums of money while gambling on his livestreams and has won big jackpots.
“You have like tons of different emotions throughout your whole entire body,” Ross said about the euphoria of online gambling during an interview. “It’s just dopamine release.”
If Ross’ audience members are interested in following in his footsteps, he is setting them up to fail.
Ross is an example of influencers and right-wing figures who are promoting crypto gambling and sports betting ventures to their young audiences. Many of these figures, including Ross, have landed major sponsorship deals with gambling companies and are sometimes given house money to gamble with, removing the actual risk associated with online gambling.
Influencers are promoting these games to young viewers as gambling addiction rises among adolescents and horror stories about streamers and followers draining their bank accounts are popping up across the internet.
Meanwhile, a number of streamers have enormous and devoted followings across social media, and the lucrative industry is constantly evolving. Teens and young adults in particular have a fondness for watching livestreamers. According to a report in Wired, 21% of the users on Amazon-owned streaming platform Twitch are between 13 and 17 years old.
Twitch has had a complicated relationship with gambling and casino streamers on its platform and has placed limits on the kind of gambling that is allowed. Some influencers have spoken out about the unrealistic expectations that gambling streamers create for their fan bases.
Influencers promoting gambling and betting companies
High-profile streamers, influencers, and celebrities have aligned themselves with gaming organizations like Stake, a crypto gambling and sports betting website. These figures share videos and pictures of themselves using Stake, gamble while livestreaming, promote the website, and sometimes share gambling earnings on social media.
For instance, rapper Drake has become an official partner of Stake, and the site has sponsored a handful of other influencers.
One of the most high-profile Stake-sponsored streamers is Ross, who has a “huge, dedicated fanbase” and exclusively streams on Twitch rival Kick. Kick is a new streaming platform that is reportedly backed by Stake and is a safe haven for white nationalist-linked content creators. The website features various gambling categories that viewers can join and watch streamers play.
On Kick, Ross labels some livestreams with “#AD,” appearing to indicate that the gambling he is doing on his stream is part of a sponsorship deal. At one point, Ross was reportedly making nearly $1 million a week from his Stake sponsorship.
Adin Ross Kick gambling
CitationScreenshot from Adin Ross' Kick profile
An 11-year-old Ross fan reportedly admitted to gambling on Stake after watching Ross’ streams.
Ross has publicly acknowledged that young kids watch his gambling streams and that past projects he has sponsored have been scams.
“By the way, that MILF token shit that I did a while back, I already told you guys, don't buy that shit,” Ross said during a livestream about a past crypto project he promoted. “I got paid a bag to do that shit. Like, I don't give a fuck. I hope none of you guys actually bought it."
During an interview on the H3 Podcast, Ross was told about the potential harms that could come from promoting crypto gambling.
“I’m learning a lot, bro,” Ross said after hearing about the potential harms gambling can have on his audience. “I’m honestly overwhelmed right now in my life. Because it’s just — it’s so new to me.”
“You make me rethink about it now, bro. …. It’s just something I — that just doesn’t click right for me,” Ross later added.
But following this interview, Ross did not stop working with Stake and airing gambling streams.
Video
CitationFrom the July 20, 2021, edition of H3 Podcast
Some of Ross’ sponsored streams are bombarded with racist and antisemitic comments, which could also have a negative impact on young viewers.
Ross recently sat down with UFC president and Trump superfan Dana White for an in-person gambling event. Following their meeting, Ross claimed that White hopes to connect Ross with Trump for a stream closer to the 2024 election. (White’s UFC also has an official partnership with Stake as well.)
Jake Paul, a right-wing influencer and professional fighter who has a massive following on social media including many young fans, co-founded Betr, a “microbetting-focused gaming company” that allows users to make monetary bets on specific plays or events, rather than betting on a team losing or winning a game. Paul appears to be hoping that the instant gratification of making money on small bets drives his young audience to Betr. Additionally, Paul has previously been accused of promoting gambling to kids.
Betr also appears to be targeting users on social media platforms that are frequented by young people, including TikTok and Instagram. The company has large followings on both platforms.
Other right-leaning influencers, including professional poker player Dan Bilzerian and gambling streamer Trainwreck (real name Tyler Niknam), have worked as sponsors for gambling companies in the past.
Major media companies are getting in on the sports betting action
Other outlets and platforms in the right-wing media ecosystem have aligned themselves with the gambling and sports betting industry.
Fox Corp., the parent company of Fox News and Fox Sports, is associated with Fox Bet, a mobile app and website that allows users to make monetary bets on professional sport competitions and play casino games.
Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch has boasted about Fox’s foray into the sports betting world, describing the venture as “a huge opportunity” for Fox Sports’ portfolio.
And in 2021, Fox acquired right-wing sports website Outkick, which includes sports wagering and betting infrastructure. During a 2021 quarterly meeting with investors, Murdoch celebrated Outkick as an outlet that “will deepen our investment in the sports wagering ecosystem.”
The right-leaning media company Barstool Sports, founded by misogynist Dave Portnoy, operates Barstool Sportsbook, a sports betting platform and mobile app that is associated with Hollywood Casino.
Adolescent gambling addiction on the rise
Reports indicate that gambling addictions are increasing among teens and children, and experts are sounding the alarm.
The legal age to gamble in the United States is 18 or 21 years old depending on the state. This has not stopped influencers and gambling and sports betting companies from promoting their products and games to adolescents.
The earlier kids are exposed to gambling, the more likely they are to become addicted to the practice, according to a gambling treatment organization. Gambling addiction has the potential to “completely derail a person’s life,” cause mental health complications, and become a “gateway drug” to other adrenaline-inducing and potentially dangerous activities like drug use.
According to research from the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors, 4% to 6% of high school students are addicted to gambling. Compared to the 1% of adults addicted to the activity, this is a worrisome trend.
Researchers point to adolescents' underdeveloped brain functioning and emotionally driven decision making to understand why teens and children fall victim to gambling addiction.
Some sports betting and gambling groups have been fined for targeting their offerings to people under the legal gambling age.
While speaking with ABC News, Gary Schneider, a national board member of Stop Predatory Gambling, explained that these companies are targeting young users. “They want the next generation. They label it gaming,” Schneider said. “It's really gambling."
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