Sports Betting will "ruin" lives, per broadcast icon Bob Costas
Published:
Jul 11, 2025
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02:55 p.m.
ET
Key Points:
Bob Costas calls sports betting addictive and insidious.
He refused to read gambling promos during MLB Network and Turner broadcasts.
Costas' views are shaped by his father, whom he described as an “inveterate gambler” who'd bet $500 per game on baseball.
Today, gambling's ease and normalization increase risk, especially among youth.
The bettor-athlete relationship is now more transactional and at times toxic than it was in the past.
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In a candid interview with Meet the Press, legendary sports broadcaster Bob Costas didn’t mince words about the rise of legalized sports betting in the United States. Drawing from a deeply personal history and decades-long career in sports media, Costas warned that the increasing ease and normalization of gambling "is going to ruin some lives, that's inevitable."
Speaking to the damage caused by legalized betting, Costas cited personal trauma and broader cultural shifts as reasons for concern. In particular, he sees a dangerously transformed relationship between fans and the sports they once simply loved. “So much of it is transactional now," he said, reflecting a societal shift that is seemingly affecting athletes every week, if not day.
Bob Costas’ personal family experience with gambling
Costas’ concern is deeply rooted in his own life. In the interview, he described his father as an “inveterate gambler” whose bets on baseball, football and basketball often left the family’s mortgage hanging in the balance. His father’s volatile temper and gambling habits shaped the family dynamic in painful ways.
"There was a lot of trauma in our family life," Costas said, reflecting on the emotional cost of growing up around compulsive gambling. Despite the chaos, he bonded with his father by following the games he wagered on. The experience actually helped ignite his encyclopedic sports knowledge and ultimately propelled his broadcasting career.
This complex and personal backdrop lends weight to Costas’ warnings. He's speaking from lived experience about the quiet devastation gambling can bring into a home.
Bob Costas refused to read sports betting promos
Costas’ stance on sports gambling is as philosophical as it is professional. During his stints with the MLB Network and Turner Sports, he refused to read any betting-related promos. Instead, producers had to rely on voice-overs or other talent.
“I just couldn't in good conscience encourage people to do something which I know, for some of them, it's obviously just a little recreation and it's fine, but there's an insidious aspect to it that I didn't want to be part of.”
In today’s broadcast landscape, where major leagues and networks have forged multi-million-dollar partnerships with sportsbooks, Costas’ refusal stands out. It reflects both ethical consistency and a rare resistance to industry-wide monetization of betting engagement.
The “transactional” relationship of bettors with sports, athletes
Perhaps one of Costas’ most important insights connects with a topic we’ve explored previously - how gambling is changing sports fandom. As he put it, "If you’ve got a bet on the game, you have a different relationship to how that game plays out than if you’re just rooting for your team."
This transactional dynamic has led to a harder edge in how fans treat athletes, coaches and teams. “You lose a game, and suddenly the coach should be fired, or the guy who went 0-for-4 should be traded,” he said. These emotional reactions are driven by monetary loss. This shift warps healthy engagement of sports into potentially toxic patterns.
Birches Health has heard from college students who admit they no longer enjoy watching sports unless they’ve placed a bet on the game. Many confessed they often wager just to “make it interesting,” even without proper research behind a pick.
Modern dangers of online sports betting: Stats & trends
Since the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in 2018, 39 states – plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico – have legalized some form of sports betting. The rise of mobile platforms has made gambling legal and instantly accessible, available to anyone with a smartphone.
Costas noted, “My dad had to find a bookie... now you’ve got young guys with a phone in their hand. It’s right there.”
And the increase in access has led to alarming spikes in addiction rates.
Some notable examples:
New Jersey: 277% increase in helpline outreach since legalization.
Virginia: 973% increase in helpline calls from 2019 to 2023.
Kentucky: Calls quadrupled after 2023 legalization, with sports betting cited more than any other form.
For many, sports betting begins as harmless fun but can quickly escalate into something far more damaging. The data shows a national trend, and for many families, the consequences are already here.
If you or someone you love is struggling with sports gambling, Birches Health offers confidential support options.
There are multiple ways to get started confidentially:
Call 833-483-3838
Email help@bircheshealth.com
