Jun 18, 2025 | PROBLEM GAMBLING, SPORTS BETTING
The NCAA is considering a significant revision to its sports betting policy that would permit student-athletes, coaches and staff to wager on professional sports, while maintaining the existing ban on betting related to collegiate athletics. This potential policy shift, currently under discussion by the Division I Council, follows a 21–1 vote by the Division I Board of Directors in favor of deregulating the prohibition on professional sports wagering. If approved, the changes could be implemented as early as June 2025.
With legalized sports betting now available in 40 states, the NCAA’s current blanket ban has become increasingly challenging to enforce, often leading to disciplinary actions for minor infractions involving low-stakes bets. By allowing betting on professional sports, the NCAA aims to reallocate its enforcement resources to focus on more serious threats to the integrity of college sports, such as point-shaving and game-fixing.
The NCAA is also exploring the implementation of harm-reduction strategies, including safe harbor provisions and reduced penalties for individuals who seek help for problem gambling. This approach reflects a broader shift in the NCAA’s stance on sports betting, emphasizing education and support over punitive measures.
Lastly, the NCAA and Genius Sports have expanded their partnership, with Genius Sports becoming the exclusive provider of official NCAA game data to licensed sportsbooks for all post-season tournaments, including March Madness, through 2032.
This potential policy change aligns with the NCAA’s recent initiatives to modernize its approach to sports betting, as evidenced by its expanded partnership with Genius Sports to distribute official game data to licensed sportsbooks.
MNAPG’s Take
While MNAPG is officially gambling-neutral, we have concerns that the NCAA is capitulating to the pressures of ever-growing sports gambling. While we applaud the NCAA’s exploration of harm-reduction strategies, we fear the long-term implications of these developments will be serious for college students and athletes.
Some of the real-time data provided by Genius Sports to sportsbook is used to generate and continuously update odds for various in-play prop bets, such as “next goal scorer” or “next touchdown.” Given the high risks involved with prop bets, we think the ready and uniform availability of official data will only feed this concern.
Aug 7, 2024 | SPORTS BETTING
Ads for parlay bets are pervasive on sports television. And, not surprisingly, they have become quite popular. How do these bets work, why are they so popular and what risks do they hold, particularly for problem gamblers?
In sports betting, a parlay bet is when a bettor makes two or more bets and combines them into one wager. Depending on the sportsbook or the region, these bets may be called “accumulators” or “multis.”
The gambler must win every small bet to win the parlay bet, and losing just one of the smaller bets loses the parlay. A sportsbook typically provides larger payouts as more games are added to each parlay. Parlay bets are riskier since they comprise many individual chances but give a bigger payout if all individual wagers win.
As an example, someone might bet on the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears to win and the Green Bay Packers to lose on a given weekend. All three of these things must happen for the gambler to win money.
Bettors like parlays because they can generally risk less and win more. This is because they perceive less risk. The more legs of a parlay you add, the higher the payout but the more difficult it is to win the parlay.
Many people enjoy the high-risk, high-reward wager and may believe one big parlay win can change everything. This is particularly concerning for problem gamblers chasing losses who think that one bet will allow them to recoup their losses and repay any debt they’ve accumulated.
Same game parlays (SGPs) are a type of parlay that allows the bettor to combine multiple outcomes from the same game. For example, an SGP allows gamblers to bet on a quarterback’s passing yards, a receiver’s receiving yards and total points allowed by a team’s defense.
One advantage from a bettor’s perspective is that they need only watch a single game to see how their wager is faring rather than having to monitor multiple games.
As SGPs have exploded in popularity, almost all large sportsbooks have added them to their offerings. Thanks to heavy advertising before and after national games, SGPs have become more popular than any other betting type.
Given the odds and structures of SGP bets, a bettor is hard pressed to come out ahead over the long term. For bettors at risk for problem gambling, it can be tempting to bet on more and more parlays over time, which can be very dangerous.
Dr. Timothy Fong, a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA’s Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, notes particular concerns with SGPs. “From what I understand, the same game parlay now is the dominant form of sports betting wager. In my mind that is like a slot machine bet. It’s not like a single bet on a winner or loser.”
The marketing of parlays by sportsbooks, particularly same game parlays, has increased as they are especially profitable. Popular sportsbooks place pre-built SGPs and parlays on their home pages, often suggesting parlays that relate to the home team, a popular athlete or recognizable sports personality.
Unfortunately, less sophisticated bettors don’t appreciate or understand the edge that’s baked into the odds for sportsbooks. Sports gamblers, as well as those who work with problem gamblers, should understand the danger of these types of bets.
Apr 18, 2024 | RESEARCH, SPORTS BETTING, YOUTH GAMBLING
Read the original article on The BASIS Here.
Written by: Kiran Chokshi
Editor’s note: This month’s WAGER was written by Kiran Chokshi, a high school senior from New York who’s interested in research about sports betting.
Many of us participated in team sports when we were younger, and some still play. Gambling has become increasingly present in sports in recent years as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s May 2018 decision, which expanded sports betting in the U.S. Researchers have begun to examine gambling behaviors among athletes themselves, and an open question is whether adolescent team sport participation might make one more likely to gamble later in life as a young adult. This week, The WAGER reviews a study by Brendan Duggan and Gretta Mohan which examined the associations between young people’s gambling behaviors and participation in team sports.
What were the research questions?
(1) Does exposure to a team sports environment in late adolescence lead to a greater likelihood of engagement in gambling as a young adult? (2) Are there gender differences in this relationship?
What did the researchers do?
The researchers collected data from Growing Up in Ireland (GUI), a longitudinal study with 2 waves of data for 5,190 participants born in 1998. Participants were asked in both waves (at age 17 or 18 in 2015 – 2016, and at age 20 in 2018 – 2019) if they participated in team sports, and also if and how often they participated in gambling activities online or in person. Participants who reported gambling once a month or more were considered to be regular gamblers.
What did they find?
The researchers found that about one-third of participants took part in team sports, and males were more likely than females to play team sports and gamble at both waves. For both males and females, team sport participation significantly predicted future gambling engagement, both in terms of online gambling and regular gambling behavior. Participants who took part in team sports at both ages 17/18 and at age 20 had 2.44 higher odds of engaging in online gambling and 2.99 higher odds of being a regular gambler at age 20, when compared to participants who did not engage in team sports at either wave. When looking at the sample of males only, these relationships were stronger; males who participated in team sports at both waves had 3.8 higher odds of online gambling and 4.02 higher odds of gambling regularly, when compared to males who did not play team sports in both waves.
Figure. Figure shows the percentage of participants engaging in online or regular gambling based on their participation in team sports. Total N = 5,190. Adapted from Duggan & Mohan (2022).
Why do these findings matter?
Many professional sports teams and leagues are embracing betting and collaborating with sportsbooks, with some going so far as to sign sponsorship deals. Although gambling is prohibited to some extent among athletes at most levels of competition, problem gambling is a potential risk among amateur and professional athletes. The results from this study highlight how adolescent team sport participation predicts future online and land-based gambling, which could potentially lead to Gambling Disorder. Interestingly, many prevention groups, such as the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, recommend participation in team sports, clubs, and community groups as a positive outlet; however, this research suggests that kids who are playing sports might benefit from targeted public health programs about problem gambling. Future research should test the effectiveness of these prevention programs among amateur and elite athletes alike.
Every study has limitations. What are the limitations in this study?
Although the sample size in this study was large, all of the participants were from Ireland, so it’s unclear if these findings are generalizable to people in other countries with different gambling practices. The data in this study was also self-reported, so might under- or over-report actual gambling behaviors. A more specific limitation of the study is that it did not track the amount of gambling spending per person, so the authors were unable to determine how much money each participant spent or lost while gambling.
For more information:
If you or anyone you know has a gambling problem, visit the National Council on Problem Gambling for tools and resources to help. Resources for preventing underage gambling are also accessible through YouthDecide. For additional resources, including gambling and self-help tools, visit our Addiction Resources page.
— Kiran Chokshi
Nov 29, 2023 | SPORTS BETTING
Although Minnesota did not pass a bill legalizing sports gambling during the last session, many think it’s just a matter of time before it happens. With an eye toward the future – and an eye on the experiences of several other states who have legalized sports gambling – we talked to problem gambling leaders in New Jersey and Michigan for their observations and warnings. (The Summer 2023 issue of Northern Light highlighted the sports gambling experiences of Ohio and Pennsylvania.)
New Jersey
In New Jersey, where brick-and-mortar gambling has existed since 1978, online gambling was legalized in 2013. Sportsbooks became legal in 2018, leading to a dramatic increase in sports gambling.
Among other notable changes is the increase in gambling advertising, which has “bombarded the public,” according to Felicia Grondin, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ). She notes that the gambling industry’s advertising was $292 million in 2020 and $725 million a year later.
CCGNJ has worked with the state to regulate gambling advertising. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) has begun a new responsible gambling initiative whereby operators must abide by certain requirements, including the frequency of advertising and font size (to ensure visibility of problem gambling helpline information). CCGNJ has also been advocating for a PSA-type ad that will inform the state’s residents of the potential for gambling harm.
Increase in Calls for Help
Calls to the state’s problem gambling helpline are up dramatically. Of the increase in helpline calls, 20 percent are related to sportsbooks and 27% are related to online play, a considerable portion of which is presumed to be related to sports gambling. There’s been a reduction in general calls from people asking where to find casinos, what winning numbers are for the lottery, etc., but calls have increased from those who need help with a gambling problem. “I think the public is starting to understand more about the purpose of our 800GAMBLER helpline and how it works,” says Felicia.
Effective Communications with State Legislature
CCGNJ has also put an emphasis on communications with the state legislature, which Felicia says has proven fruitful. They engage legislators on various problem gambling topics through visits to the statehouse and bi-monthly blogs. Thanks to these efforts, the state has been more deliberate in its approach to gambling. One example is reducing a ten-year extension for online gambling to five years. “Legislators are recognizing that people are developing gambling problems and the importance of monitoring its related impact,” says Felicia.
Educating School Students
Shortly before the state assembly introduced a bill to require schools to provide instruction on the risks of gambling, as they do with other public health issues, the CCGNJ created the Cognitive Perspective Restructuring program (CPR). The program educates kids about risky behavior, including gambling, and how to make wise choices for a bright future.
As it relates to Minnesota, Felicia cites several things that our state should think about as it considers legalizing sports gambling:
o Establish parameters around advertising — frequency, the content, where it’s aired, etc.
o Post warning labels at brick-and-mortar locations as well as online.
o Ensure that students are educated about the risks of gambling at an early age.
o Produce public service announcements to create greater awareness.
o Request an increase in problem gambling funding commensurate with expected growth in gambling.
Michigan
Michigan officially legalized sports betting in December 2019. The first retail sportsbooks in the state opened in March 2020 and the online launch took place in January 2021.
The growth in sports gambling echoes the growth occurring around the nation. In September 2023, Michigan sportsbooks tallied $457.7 million in bets for the month. This represents a 25.6% increase from September of 2022.
With the availability of online gambling, Michael Burke, executive director of the Michigan Association on Problem Gambling, says it’s as though Michigan has gone from 34 casinos to a state that has 10 million casinos in the pockets of each resident. “It used to take people five to ten years to get addicted, but with easier access now, it’s more like five to ten months,” he says. Michael also is concerned about the impact of easy access on youth gambling and says that educating kids about the risks is vital.
According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, in the first year since the legalization of sports betting and online gambling in Michigan, more than 4,400 calls were made to the state’s problem gambling helpline in 2021. This was nearly triple the number of calls received in 2020, the year before online gambling was approved. Referrals for people to receive gambling treatment also grew significantly, from 295 referrals in 2020 to 420 referrals in 2021, a 42% increase.
As Michael looks to a state (such as Minnesota) that hasn’t yet legalized sports gambling, he has a warning. “If you’re going to bring in gambling, you have to know what the results are going to be as far as compulsive gambling is concerned,” he says. “Legislators need to take their responsibility seriously and ensure that there’s something in place for a person who suffers harm from gambling. That’s the least they can do.”
Jun 27, 2023 | RESEARCH, SPORTS BETTING
Read the original article on The Basis HERE.
By John Slabczynski.
Video games have drawn the attention of activists and public health advocates since as early as the 1970’s. Many of these activists have focused on the intense depictions of violence in video games and suggest that these depictions may lead to real-life violence. One area that is often neglected, however, are depictions of substance use and gambling in video games. Although regulators have begun to investigate loot boxes and their relationship with problem gambling, other forms of gambling in video games have received less attention. For example, skin betting (i.e., exchanging virtual goods for digital gambling currency) — which was first popularized by the game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive — has evolved from betting on in-game matches to skins being used as currency in other games of chance such as roulette. Many of those involved in these underground gambling networks are adolescents who are unable to engage in traditional gambling. This week, the WAGER reviews a study by Nancy Greer and colleagues that examined links between esports, skin betting, and problem gambling.
What was the research question?
How does esports and skin betting relate to other forms of gambling and gambling harms?
What did the researchers do?
The researchers recruited participants through Amazon Mechanical Turk and social media posts in online gaming communities to participate in an online survey. All participants reported either esports cash or skin betting, or gambling skins on games of chance in the past 6 months. In total, 737 participants completed the survey. The survey itself focused on four broad categories: (1) video game involvement, (2) video game-related gambling (including betting on esports), (3) traditional gambling, and (4) problem gambling and gambling-related harms. The researchers used ordinal logistic regression to test the hypothesis that video game involvement increases the likelihood of engaging in video game-related gambling, which in turn increases the likelihood of engaging in traditional gambling and experiencing gambling harms.
What did they find?
Though video game involvement related to video game-related gambling, video game-related gambling was only slightly related to traditional gambling. Consider three different video game-related types of gambling: esports cash betting, esports skin betting, and skin betting on other games of chance. Of these, only esports cash betting frequency significantly predicted involvement in traditional gambling activities. Interestingly, although the sample overall reported high rates of problem gambling and gambling harms, neither esports cash betting nor esports skin betting significantly predicted problem gambling or gambling harms. When controlling for other forms of traditional gambling, only skin gambling on games of chance was predictive of problem gambling and gambling harms (see Figure).
Figure. This figure displays the odds of experiencing problem gambling and gambling harms based on video game-related gambling behaviors. Odds ratios above 1.00 indicate that for every one unit increase in the predictor variable (video game-related gambling behaviors) the odds of being one category higher in the outcome variable (problem gambling or gambling harms) increases by X times. An odds ratio below 1.00 indicates that the odds decrease by X times. For example, a one unit increase in esports cash betting frequency would mean a participant is 1.033 times as likely to experience a one unit increase in their problem gambling severity. Only skin betting on games of chance was significantly associated with either outcome variable.
Why do these findings matter?
These findings suggest that buying skins and esports gambling are not risk factors for problem gambling in and of themselves. Rather, skin gambling on games of chance appears to increase the risk of gambling harms. It remains unclear whether individuals who gamble skins on games of chance do so because they have exhausted other financial resources, or if skin gambling on games of chance directly increases the risk of problem gambling and other gambling harms. Regardless, these findings suggest that regulatory bodies should consider focusing on gambling operators who facilitate skin gambling on games of chance, rather than other more traditional esports focused operators.
Every study has limitations. What are the limitations in this study?
This study has significant limitations in terms of its generalizability. Participants were required to have gambled either on esports or via using skins in the past six months, so the results likely do not represent video game players as a whole. The study also failed to include anyone under the age of 18 despite the fact that many people who gamble using skins are adolescents. Additionally, due to the study’s limited sample size, the researchers were unable to conduct path analysis, an analytical technique that allows for estimating causal effects instead of only statistical associations.
For more information:
Individuals who are concerned about their gambling behaviors or simply want to know more about problem gambling may benefit from visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling. Others who want to learn more about video game addiction can find information via the Cleveland Clinic. Additional resources can be found at the BASIS Addiction Resources page.
May 12, 2023 | SPORTS BETTING
The 2023 Minnesota legislative session started off with an early entry of the House’s sports betting bill, later followed by an almost identical version by the Senate. Over the weeks, MNAPG was in communication with Rep. Zack Stephenson and Sen. Matt Klein to discuss our continued concerns for increased consumer protections. As we write this, it’s still unclear if the bill will pass. We did manage to get an op-ed piece published in the Star Tribune regarding sports betting. You can read it at www.mnapg.org/ news.
