Danny Funt

But at the same time, I don't wanna let people like Bill Simmons off the hook because they've made millions and millions of dollars by hawking sports books, normalizing the idea that firing all these parlays and low odds prop bets is just the way to be a sports fan nowadays.

The influence of that on making this the default way of engaging with sports can't be understated.

A consequence of it besides just giving the impression that this is a harmless thing

no big deal way of being a fan now, is it also handcuffs a lot of sports outlets that could be reporting on the dangers of betting, rising addiction, the risks of corruption we were just talking about.

All of that, you'll be watching sports networks and feel like there's a conspicuous silence about that stuff.

Even with Bill Simmons, as I wrote about in the book, this guy who is

burnt reputation as this defiant truth teller when John Day Porter was arrested or when other games that I know he cares a lot about were exposed to have fixing scandals.

He's very, you know, kind of tongue tied and, you know, really watching his words in a way that he doesn't typically.

And I think it's because FanDuel is one of his biggest sponsors.

And that's true of so much of the media.

And just lastly, I'll quote a former ESPN reporter named Henry Abbott, who said, when you think about all that, sports media is really being bribed by all this advertising dollars.

The bribe is, we'll give you millions and millions of dollars.

And in exchange, don't say anything that would either embarrass these sports books or embarrass the leagues for partnering with them and profiting so handsomely from this betting explosion.

We're seeing addiction rates rise.

The expectation for a long time had been that about one or maybe even 2% of the population is prone to a gambling problem.

In states that have legalized it, health experts believe it's closer to six or 8% among young men who are the target demo, it's much higher.

As bad as that is, and I tell some really heartbreaking stories in the book of the most ordinary people

who seem like they're smart and know about sports and wouldn't get themselves down that road.

I also think that people can hear addiction stories and say, well, that doesn't apply to me.

That's sad, but I don't have a gambling problem.