Gambling is ubiquitous now in pro sports — is that a problem? | Houston Public Media

Texas remains one of the strictest states when it comes to gambling, and it may become even more of an outlier as voters on Election Day will consider casino expansion in Virginia, Arkansas, and Missouri. In the Show-Me state, voters are also being asked if they want to launch online and in-person sports betting.

While legal restrictions may hold some sports betting at bay in Texas, it’s still having a profound impact on the professional sports we see, hear, read about, and attend. Ads tout the ease of online gambling. Live sportscasts are filled with graphics and analysis built around odds and the over/under of all sorts of stats. Whole shows on 24-hour sports networks are focused on it. Sports sites like The Athletic employ people who use statistical models to promote gambling. Draft Kings ads are pervasive. Heck, Diamond Sports Group previously sold the naming rights for its regional cable channels to Bally’s and now has sold it to Fan Duel.

It’s everywhere. Is that a problem?

In the audio above, Houston Matters host Craig Cohen talks it over with Jeff Balke, who co-hosts the Bleav in Astros podcast and writes for Houston Press.