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“Modern sports betting is so dangerous specifically because it is available online. Sports betting today bears little resemblance to the smoke-filled sportsbooks tucked inside Las Vegas casinos. Players can bet on almost everything, from how the Jacksonville Jaguars will do next season (probably poorly) to the speed of the next pitch or which team will score the next basket. Online sports betting offers almost no friction, providing little to encourage players to slow down and take stock of their play. Instead, the apps present an endless stream of action at the touch of a button. “I don’t think I would’ve ever gotten into it if I couldn’t do it online,” Kyle noted, recalling how carefully he has bet each of the handful of times he has been to a casino. He compared these trips to his all-night betting sessions chasing losses with four-figure bets on minor-league British darts. The online accessibility was “everything.” — Jonathan D. Cohen