In recent years, sports gambling has shifted from an unconventional hobby to a mainstream pastime. This development has been fuelled by widespread legalization, aggressive advertising, and mobile betting apps that make wagering on sports simple and accessible.
While supporters argue that sports gambling is harmless entertainment or a beneficial source of government revenue, reality depicts a far more troubling story. Mounting financial losses, compromised athletic integrity, academic decline, and growing hostility toward athletes show that the consequences of sports gambling greatly outweigh its perceived benefits.
Consequences of gambling
Cardus reports that Ontario sports gamblers lose an average of $283 per month per sportsbook account, which equates to nearly $3,400 per year. As economic uncertainty grows and a recession looms, one might expect the popularity of sports gambling to decrease as people tighten their wallets and anticipate a need to save.
Instead, participation is rising, suggesting that betting is becoming a harmful compulsion for many individuals. These financial losses disproportionately affect young adult men, who are often targeted by promotions, ‘risk-free’ bets, and constant live sports advertising.
The gambling epidemic is even beginning to harm athletes themselves. Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted for manipulating pitches to allow themselves, as well as those in their inner circles, to place ‘sure-fire’ bets with guaranteed winnings in November 2025. Those involved reportedly paid Clase a $5,000 stipend for arranging rigged pitches. This figure becomes especially disturbing when considering Clase’s $20 million MLB contract.
Clase has been one of the best relief pitchers in MLB, finishing third in Cy Young voting during the 2024 season, a feat that has not been achieved by any other reliever since 2008. With a promising career and a significant amount of financial security, Clase’s decision to gamble highlights how dangerous sports betting has become. When athletes are willing to compromise the integrity of the game, the legitimacy of professional sports is at risk of being destroyed.
Additionally, legalized sports gambling has changed how fans interact with players. Athletes across professional leagues report that some fans now see them as financial tools rather than people.
A survey conducted by The Athletic from February to May 2025 found that 78 per cent of interviewed MLB players said that legalizing betting has worsened fan behaviour. Players reported receiving threatening, violent, and racist messages when betting outcomes are affected. New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson echoed this sentiment in a New York Post article, saying, “The worst things you’re thinking of, it’s worse than that.”
Similarly, about half of NBA players believe that league ties to sportsbooks are hurting the game. When leagues prioritize gambling revenue over player well-being, they are normalizing harassment and hostility.
The harms of sports gambling extend far beyond professional athletics, particularly affecting university and college students. Research published in the Journal of Gambling Studies found that online gambling and sports betting are associated with lower academic achievement in undergraduate students.
Students who gambled frequently were more likely to have lower grade point averages, miss classes, spend less time studying, and fail courses at higher rates when compared to non-gamblers. The research also reviewed the connection between gambling, mental health struggles, and substance abuse, all of which further sabotage academic success. These discoveries challenge the idea that sports gambling is a harmless activity, especially on university campuses, where betting has become increasingly normalized and nearly unrestricted.
When costs outweigh benefits
In my opinion, the rapid expansion of legalized sports gambling has outpaced society’s ability to manage its consequences. While sportsbooks and professional leagues profit from sponsorships and advertising deals, athletes and fans are forced to bear the financial, emotional, and academic costs associated with online sportsbooks. The normalization of gambling has ruined ethical boundaries for athletes, fuelled harmful fan behaviour, and created addictive habits among students.
Sports have always been a source of entertainment, community, and inspiration in society. However, when every play is tied to a financial outcome, I believe the integrity of competition and the well-being of those involved become compromised. As research continues to link sports gambling to financial loss, academic decline, and psychological harm, it becomes increasingly difficult to justify its constant promotion.
Rather than expanding access to gambling and advertising it frequently, policymakers and professional leagues should reconsider their role in endorsing an industry that profits at the expense of public safety.
