As we continue to rejoice in the Easter Octave, many sports fans have become preoccupied with their losses. Indeed, whereas Easter celebrates our freedom in the risen Lord Jesus Christ (John 8:31-32; 14:6), more and more people—especially young men—are realizing that their interest in sports has become a form of enslavement, not a healthful recreational outlet. The estimated $3.3 billion wagered on March Madness—which concluded with the University of Michigan and UCLA winning the men’s and women’s tournaments, respectively—is a reminder of not only how popular sports gambling has become, but also how many people are finding it to be an occasion of sin and addiction (see CCC 2846-2849, James 1:13-15)
The Big Gambling Pie
Back in the modern day, the only way you could place a legal bet on sports was in Las Vegas, but the U.S. Supreme Court changed that with its 1918 ruling Murphy v. National Catholic Athletic Association. Given the popularity of sports betting and the development of smartphones, online startups like FanDuel (2009) and DraftKings (2012) anticipated the Court’s decision, with Major League Baseball (MLB) an early partner with DraftKings. Since the 2018 decision, the National Football League (NFL) and others are playing catch-up—and then some.
Sports leagues want engagement in their contests. If you’re betting on a game, you have a greater stake in the outcome (pun intended), and so you’re more likely to watch, which can only help increase advertising rates as well as generate more subscriptions to the NFL Ticket, pay-TV plan for your local MLB team, etc.
And to help keep you engaged, casinos, other gambling companies, and sports leagues have collaborated to provide their clients every imaginable “proposition bet” (prop bet). Decades ago, gamblers had to place their bets before the game started, and it was mainly on who would win, although there were other regular bets, such as the over/under for the collective points two teams would score in a contest. In addition, other bets developed. I recall when a friend, in January 1986, wagered $50 that William “the Refrigerator” Perry would score a touchdown for the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XX. The line began at 20-1, my friend got in at 12-1, and the odds quickly dropped to 2-1 as betters sought to capitalize on what they saw as a very good bet. The Fridge did score a TD as the Bears romped, and while the bookies took a bath, modern prop betting was born. As the old saying goes, the only way to ensure making a profit in gambling is by owning the casino—as the NFL, MLB, et al. can attest.
Today, gamblers can make not only various prop bets in advance of a game, including who wins the coin toss at the Super Bowl, but also many “live/in-play props”—i.e., as a game progresses, designed to keep them watching until the contest ends.
A Sad but Sure Bet
I’ve longed quipped that having gambling counselors at casinos—or available via a toll-free number—is like having a marriage counselor at a brothel. But you have to patronize the house before you can see the counselor.
Well, for the growing number of fans with betting problems, it’s no joke, including because sports enthusiasts are last least twice as likely as other gamblers to have issues, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. Indeed, although tax revenue is up for various states, so are related “lower consumer credit scores, higher credit card debt, and less household savings.” Some states, like Massachusetts, have begun programs to help those who’ve developed gambling addictions.
There is no doubt that betting is an addictive gamble for many:
When you gamble, your brain releases dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter that makes you feel excited. You’d expect to only feel excited when you win, but your body produces this neurological response even when you lose. . . .
While most of us are able to walk away when we lose and practice safer play habits, others may continue gambling to win back the money they have lost in a phenomenon known as chasing losses. These individuals may begin to develop problems with gambling.
At the same time, addictions and vices often overlap, with the latter deteriorating into the former if corrective action is not chosen. Still, with therapy, prayer, and personal agency, a person can overcome compulsive patterns—and then commit to a long-term plan, as members of Alcoholics Anonymous, for example, can witness.
Gambling and Pornography
Gambling is not new, as the ancient Romans could tell us, but it’s a lot more accessible today. As Catholic psychologist Anthony Isacco observes, digital technology has exacerbated addictions to both pornography and gambling:
The same three A’s that contributed to the rise of problematic pornography consumption also are fueling gambling addiction: accessibility, anonymity and affordability. Young men can download an app on their phone and start betting within minutes. The app is sleek, easy to use, and has built-in incentives to start gambling—and to keep gambling.
However, engaging in pornography is an intrinsic moral evil, as the Catechism explains:
It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials (2354).
On the other hand, gambling—contrary to what many Protestants believe—is not inherently immoral, although it can certainly become a vice:
Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant (2413, emphasis original).
In any event, as a good priest confessor will counsel, addictions can mitigate culpability, and yet there is still personal culpability—often grave—for developing the vice that generates an addiction, as well as regarding how we choose to deal with an addiction we’ve cultivated. In addition, we disserve an addict if we don’t remind him that he can exercise freedom in dealing with his addiction, especially when he comes down from his addictive high—of whatever sort—and can thus soberly survey the damage he’s done to himself and others.
To be sure, those who profit off the vulnerabilities of others may well have their own moral reckoning, especially if they’re not vigilant in identifying and aiding problem gamblers (see 1 Tim. 6:10).
Those who struggle with a gambling addiction need to avail themselves of various resources. Covenant Eyes is an excellent online accountability service for those who battle porn. There is not a gambling analogue, but one can install bet-blocking tools on his computer, such as Gamban. Also, Net Nanny offers helps for parents. Gamblers Anonymous and Catholic Therapists can also provide help. And, to reaffirm, God’s mercy is always available in the confessional. Let us pray for—and support otherwise—all concerned.