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“States were unprepared for the onslaught of lobbying that followed the Murphy decision and were caught flat-footed by an aggressive campaign to set up industry-friendly sports betting systems. Facing the promise of a new source of tax revenue, lawmakers largely went along with sportsbooks’ desires without considering the potential harm that could ensue from gambling arriving onto every cell phone in the state.”

Quote by Jonathan D. Cohen

Book:Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling
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Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling

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Jonathan D. Cohen

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“The NFL was terrified of gambling because it would be devastating if fans came to believe that the outcome of that one-yard run was fixed, scripted, rigged. Notwithstanding the popularity of professional wrestling—which actually is scripted—a sports league cannot attract viewers if people believe the outcome to be in any way predetermined. The league’s concern with integrity, then, was as much about ensuring the fairness of its games as ensuring the perception of fairness. “The most precious possessions that we as a football league have are our reputations for integrity and the integrity of our games,” Commissioner Paul Tagliabue told Congress during hearings over PASPA. The league went to extremes to preserve that reputation and distance itself from all things gambling.”

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Book:Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling
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“For decades, the [NFL] had a strict ban on all televised gambling references. Some announcers, like Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder or Al Michaels, would cheekily skirt this rule. If the outcome of a game was in hand but the losing team scored a touchdown that affected the over/under or the game spread, Michaels might note that the touchdown was “significant to some.” Such insider comments notwithstanding, the NFL’s stance on gambling ensured its broadcasts were gambling-free zones. These days, Al Michaels does DraftKings ad reads for Amazon Prime’s broadcast of Thursday Night Football.”

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Book:Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling
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“The NFL justified its embrace of gambling with a new favor­ite Goodell phrase: “fan engagement.” “We’re going to find ways we can engage fans through legalized sports betting,” he declared in 2021. What Goodell meant was that betting offered a chance for people to raise the stakes for the games they already loved and to make being a football fan a more interactive experience. Gamblers had always taken a special interest in NFL games and now there were a lot more potential gamblers, casual and occasional viewers who could be converted into superfans if they thought they could win some money.”

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Book:Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling
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“67% of sports bettors said they watched more than usual when they had bet on an NFL game. While a quarter of all sports bettors said they watched more than usual when they had bet on an NFL game, watching a game that was a blowout, just 10 percent said they would do so if they had money on the line. This was music to the league’s ears. As a former DraftKings employee observes, gambling is “scratching the itch of people who are competitive . . . or somebody that just wants a reason to watch a Thursday night Titans/Texas game.”

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Book:Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling
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“With indications that Gen Z is less interested in watching football—and professional sports generally—as well as an overall decline in America’s broadcast TV habit, dark clouds appear on the horizon, revenue-wise. Gambling was both an infusion of money through partnerships, sponsorships, and data agreements and a way to bump ratings back up. Sure enough, average viewership for 2021–2023 was 17.2 million. As more Americans try their hand at sports betting—especially as more states legalize it—the NFL will rely on gamblers to keep its revenue arrow pointing upward. The league does not seem to mind if it becomes as normal to bet on football as it is to watch football.”

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Book:Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling
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“The normalization of sports betting represents the most consequential outcome of the NFL’s flip-flop on gambling. Had it only been states and the gambling industry that embraced gambling after Murphy, sports betting might have remained a somewhat niche interest. Betting would have a strong appeal but would have largely remained a subculture within American sports. It could have become something like fantasy sports: an activity that is hugely popular but also a pastime that can be avoided by anyone who does not want to participate. Today, sports gambling is definitively not a subculture or niche interest. This is in large part because the NFL and its fellow leagues helped transform the nation’s sports ecosystem into a sports gambling ecosystem. Is all of this gambling a threat to the integrity of football? Apparently not.”

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Book:Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling
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“From TV broadcasts to data deals, gambling is now an unavoidable part of the football experience, one that the league insists does not threaten the integrity of its product. As it has for decades, the NFL is trying to have it both ways: cracking down on some types of gambling while simultaneously making as much money from gambling as it possibly can.”

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Book:Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling
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“Every problem gambler’s story is unique. But in many ways, their stories are also all the same. Most sports bettors are drawn to gambling because they love sports and because gambling offers the chance to make the games more exciting. For some people, though, the pursuit of that excitement takes over their lives, leading to addiction—followed, for those fortunate enough, by recovery.”

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Book:Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling
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