Guest Editorial
The Pilot
March 1, 2024
Sports betting has occurred since cave dwellers picked sides on match-ups between woolly mammoths. So the world is not going to end on March 11 when legalized sports betting — and the far more insidious mobile variety — begins in North Carolina.
But a whole lot of lives will be changed, and not for the better — and all so the state can collect more tax revenue that amounts to a rounding error.
Like it or not, the pervasiveness of sports betting has grown into a nationwide phenomenon ever since a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision essentially uncorked the ramblin’ gamblin’ genie out of its bottle. Televised sports the last few years have been saturated with advertising and content designed for betting.
In North Carolina, that just used to be a nuisance. Now, it’s going to be actionable.
And the action is expected to be vigorous; the state expects more than $4 billion in wagers this year alone. The state is projecting about $40 million in revenue for its general fund over the next five years. In a $30 billion budget, that comes out to a fractional increase in tax revenue.
In that respect, the General Assembly will end up like most of the bettors: little enriched.
The Madness to Ensue
Not coincidentally, the March 11 launch date for sports betting in North Carolina comes on the eve of one of its most cherished sporting events: the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament.
But long gone are the quaint days of stealing into a back room to place some action on Carolina basketball to win by five. Now you’re going to be able to hop onto one of a number of smartphone apps, load up your account and place a bedazzling array of bets.
The week after that, it’s the NCAA Tournament, which turns the last two weeks of March into three-day work weeks. NCAA Tournament office pools, as much a part of March as shamrocks, are quaint now compared to what awaits those wanting a bigger bite of action.
But if March is known for its “madness,” might April become known for its apprehension when credit card bills come?
Mobile sports betting is designed for an audience of young, digitally savvy users well-versed in mobile gaming. The state requires all gamblers to be at least 21 years old, but there are plenty of underaged gamblers who can attest to ways the system can be gamed.
Surveys in North Carolina already have determined a majority of college students gambled in the past year. What will it be like beginning March 11?
The Wreckage That Awaits
Advocates worry over how easy the apps are, and the avalanche of advertising that offers enticements, bonuses and come-ons.
These younger gamblers “are more prone to take risks than older adults. They may also be less aware of the concept that, regardless of if there’s skill involved, it’s still gambling,” Amanda Winters, who heads the state’s Problem Gambling Program, told The News & Observer of Raleigh recently. “You can never out-skill chance.”
Just last week, The Wall Street Journal profiled a Pennsylvania psychiatrist who owed six figures through betting apps. “She was up against an industry skilled in the art of leveraging data analytics and human behavior to keep customers betting,” the Journal wrote.
While this singles out the behavior of an extreme problem gambler, the description of the companies is spot on. And a 20-something doesn’t have to rack up big losses to run into steep trouble; a $10,000 lost wager is enough to ruin young credit and young lives.
But this is the path North Carolina has chosen, and the safest of all bets is that there’s more to come. Online casino gambling is likely, and while lawmakers failed to legalize physical casinos last year, that’s a temporary setback.
This is not an endeavor, in any form, that will enrich this state. Throughout time, one thing has been certain: The house never loses. The rest of us are left out in the cold.
This editorial was posted with permission from the publisher of The Pilot , which is based in Southern Pines, N.C.
The Christian Action League of North Carolina may not endorse all the viewpoints expressed in this guest editorial, nevertheless, we believe it offers valuable insights and perspectives worth considering in the ongoing discourse surrounding the important issue of gambling expansion in the Tar Heel state.