Class Description
This class provides an overview of sports gambling in the United States, including how legalization has expanded since the 2018 Murphy vs. NCAA decision and the rapid growth of sports books, fantasy sports, online gambling, and e-sports wagering. Participants will explore the most common types of sports bets, learn how gambling motives influence behavior, and examine research findings that connect online sports betting to the development of problem gambling symptoms, substance use, and cognitive distortions. The session also reviews the role of responsible gambling beliefs and highlights evidence based factors most strongly associated with reducing harm.
Learning Objectives
- Identify at least 5 types of common sports bets and describe their basic function and risks
- List 4 major gambling motives and explain how each contributes differently to problem gambling development
- Describe 3 measurable behavioral patterns (depth of play, breadth of play, and persistence over time) that correlate with problem gambling symptoms
- Identify at least 3 research findings connecting online sports betting to substance use, psychological distress, or gambling-related harm
- State 2 responsible gambling concepts that have demonstrated positive impact and 2 that show no measurable relationship with reducing harm
Educational Goals
- Increase learners’ understanding of how the expansion of online sports gambling influences public health and individual risk
- Build awareness of gambling motives so participants can recognize signs of risk in themselves or others
- Strengthen participants’ ability to evaluate gambling behaviors using research-based findings
- Support informed decision-making by presenting evidence on what forms of responsible gambling strategies are effective
- Encourage proactive harm-reduction awareness among professionals and community members who encounter individuals engaged in sports betting
Outline
- Introduction and State of Sports Gambling: 10 minutes
Overview of legalization history, rise of sports books, fantasy sports, daily fantasy, online casinos, and e-sports - Types of Sports Bets: 10 minutes
Explanation of moneylines, spreads, totals, player props, future bets, and parlays including their risks - Gambling Motives and Their Impact: 15 minutes
Coping, enhancement, financial, and social motives and how each predicts gambling-related problems. Interaction effects with loneliness, frustration, and distress - Research Findings on Gambling Behavior: 15 minutes
Findings from the presented study: depth and breadth of play, problem gambling symptoms over time, substance use patterns, and behavioral persistence among online gamblers - Responsible Gambling and Key Takeaways: 10 minutes
Examination of personal responsibility, honesty and control beliefs, pre-commitment, gambling literacy, and the demonstrated impact each has on gambling outcomes