John Oliver spotlights sports betting problems in U.S.
Published:
Mar 19, 2025
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11:22 a.m.
ET
Key Points
John Oliver dedicated more than 30 minutes of his most recent “Last Week Tonight” episode to a deep dive into the problems with sports betting in the U.S. today
Gambling has made a massive impact on sports in the U.S. since sports betting became legalized in 2018
Sports leagues and teams have a vested interest in sports betting
Some betting companies have found ways to circumvent laws in place to protect vulnerable individuals
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John Oliver regularly tackles topical and at times controversial topics on his HBO show “Last Week Tonight.” This past weekend, he took a deep dive into sports betting and how things have taken a concerning turn for the worse in recent years, with no real reprieve in sight.
Oliver speaks of the impacts sports betting has had on the gaming and sports industries, along with their audiences. He shares stories from those who have experienced the harms of gambling and suffered financial difficulties and mental health consequences at the hands of an industry that appears to have the ability to protect them, but may at times exploit vulnerabilities instead.
Key points from John Oliver’s sports betting feature
The gaming industry has a large financial impact on leagues, teams and fans
In 2024, the gaming industry spent approximately $434.4 million on gambling advertisements to promote sports betting. Between 2018 and 2023, $300 billion was wagered by individuals on sports betting, with an estimated $3 billion estimated to be bet during the 2025 March Madness tournament.
He points out that the top league specifically, the NFL, made $132 million last year from gambling-related sponsorships, which is the equivalent of adding 2-3 new teams sponsorship deals. They also earned $120 million for data licensed to sportsbooks to help set odds.
But there’s also the financial impact on U.S. society, and it isn’t a positive one. Oliver also alludes to research by UCLA Anderson School of Management’s Brett Hollenbeck, which concluded that within four years of a state legalizing online sports betting, credit scores decreased by an average of 1%, debt collection amounts jumped by 8%, and bankruptcy filings soared by 28%.
Underage fans are still finding ways to bet
In one of the first mainstream dives into sweepstakes betting, Oliver highlights the platform Fliff that offers a dual-currency system of free coins and optional purchasing of coins, both of which can turn into withdrawable cash and/or prizes after betting with them. The age restriction for Fliff is 18+, which allows many college students in states with 21+ betting laws to wager freely.
Also known as “social sportsbooks,” these sweepstakes platforms skirt current gambling regulations by having the “No Purchase Necessary” option as a key part of the system. It is clear to most that this setup is meant to circumvent gaming laws and make the product accessible to audiences that aren’t supposed to be able to risk real money to make sports picks and win money.
Some states have begun to crack down on sweepstakes platforms with cease-and-desist letters and even threats of criminal prosecution.
Sports betting has become a normalized part of the fan experience for many
Whether through advertisements, odds integrations or dedicated segments with analysts giving their picks, there’s no denying that the constant barrage of betting during sports viewing has turned betting into a normal part of the fan experience for millions in the U.S. The extra rooting interest that having a bet (or many) on a game leads to increased engagement and longer viewing, which leagues often explain as the core reason for their positive view of widespread legalized sports betting.
However, many athletes have expressed their opinion that this has transformed many fans’ relationships with sports and athletes into a transactional dynamic, where they are viewed more as ways to make a profit than the traditional relationship of supporting and rooting for favorite players and teams. Therefore, athlete abuse has increased, and it’s frequently focused around the players’ performance having impacted fans’ bets, resulting in anger toward the players.
Birches Health is fortunate to have partnered with multiple organizations that include college students, and we have heard firsthand (anecdotally) that many no longer watch sports games without having money on them. Placing a bet – whether that be before the game begins or a live in-game wager during it – has become a standard step in the fan experience on a daily basis for many of the college students with whom we’ve spoken. They have also expressed how pervasive sports betting is now on college campuses, with some saying that they don’t know many fellow students who don’t regularly bet.
Mobile betting has changed the landscape of gambling
Oliver also points out that gambling used to be an in-person hobby and that individuals could generally only bet on the outcome of a game. Today, mobile sports betting has allowed for a new level of always-on accessibility and offers in-game betting to keep a bettor's vested interest renewed with a constant stream of new opportunities to make bets and try to recoup any losses they had before.
Modern-day sports betting is also dominated by parlays, which many experienced gamblers consider “sucker bets,” as they have very higher payouts if they win but very low chances of actually being won. The financial benefits of parlays to sportsbooks are massive. In Illinois, 194.6 million parlays were placed across eight sportsbooks in 2023, generating $580.5 million in revenue. The success rate of these parlays was only 17.74%, and sportsbooks held an 18.2% profit margin on these bets, compared to a much smaller 4.9% hold on traditional straight, single bets. In New Jersey during September 2024, parlays accounted for a record 32.2% of sports betting handle and 72.5% of gross revenue. Hold on parlays was 24.2%(!), compared to 4.4% for every other bet type.
Oliver also speaks about how individuals can bet on literally anything today, citing an example from 2024 where an Oregon man wagered $35,000 on a table tennis match happening in Poland. In Colorado, table tennis has become the 4th-most popular betting sport, behind only the NFL, NBA and college basketball. During COVID-19 times soon after sports betting was legalized in Colorado, ping pong was one of the only sports still being played (mostly in Russia and Ukraine), so many bettors turned to it to get their fix and haven’t stopped.
Gaming operators could likely do more to help mitigate addiction
Another of Oliver’s views is that gaming companies have the ability to identify and help those who are showing signs of gambling addiction, but at times do not. Some operators have been sued for allegedly fueling at-risk behaviors by offering bonus bets and other incentives for continuing to wager if a high-value player stops or reduces their play.
Oliver says that U.S. operators could also restrict their V.I.P. programs, like they did in the UK in 2020. That required companies to take steps like checking if customers could afford the amounts they were betting, and it ultimately led to a 90% reduction in the number of users in those programs, which he says suggests that those programs were likely preying on people who could not actually afford to be a part of them.
He concludes the monologue with a poignant message, saying, “The point here is, it seems everyone in the sports world has now become compromised by an industry that is able to prey on its most vulnerable customers with incredible precision… Honestly, it feels like years from now, we're going to look back on this era and say, ‘What were we doing?’”
Gambling addiction treatment options in the U.S.
State-specific data around increased outreach to problem gambling helplines suggested that gambling addiction is becoming a larger problem in America. If you or someone you know is struggling with their betting behaviors or feels their sports gambling habits are negatively impacting their daily lives, there are places they can turn to for help.
Depending on the severity of an individual's problem, certain options such as individual therapy, group counseling, peer support or even inpatient treatment may be necessary.
Virtual counseling can be very effective for those struggling with gambling addiction. Treating an addiction to sports betting is a unique process that requires specialized treatment. Birches Health offers care virtually, from the comfort of home, with therapists who are experienced and certified in treating the complex aspects of gambling addiction. To get started with Birches or learn more you can:
Call 833-483-3838
Email help@bircheshealth.com
