I am going to apologize ahead of time on this post. This is a personal opinion I have about gambling…I don’t like it. I think the government encouraging gambling is immoral and unethical. I believe the gambling industry prays on the people who are economically the most vulnerable in our society.
Season 4 of “Against the Rules” by Michael Lewis lays out the explosion of gambling in America since 2018. I really encourage you to listen to all of the episodes. Our students and their parents are being impacted by the gambling companies’ manipulation of people.
The only time in my career when I called up a Legislator to criticize them was twenty years ago. The issue was not education-related, although I was serving as a high school principal at the time. The issue was gambling…specifically when Pennsylvania approved widespread gambling. I called my State Legislator, Matt Baker (a really great guy who worked hard for his district and was just a nice human being) and gave him Hell. I said something along the lines of “So you consider yourself a “conservative” but you voted for something that will promote unhealthy and questionably ethical decisions for people.” He was not impressed with my little rant.
The thing is, I feel more strongly today about the ill effects of gambling as our country is being blitzed with online gambling.
What are we doing, America?
The United States Supreme Court in 2018 (again, a “conservative court?”) approved States to legalize gambling. Specifically, they struck down a Federal law that prevented States from approving gambling.
Since then, the numbers are staggering.
In sports betting alone the amount wagered on sports has gone from about $6.6 billion dollars a year in 2018, to $12.9 billion in October 2024 alone!
Online casino gambling, a fancy way to say “you can now gamble on your phone,” is also exploding, going from $8.7 billion in 2018 to $25 billion in 2024.
Everyone has a Casino in their pocket; what could possibly go wrong?
Staying on my theme of “abstraction,” these companies (like DraftKings and Fanduel) have perfected the data analysis piece. Their algorithm is so good that if you make out well on just two or three bets, they will limit how much you can bet or kick you off their platform for good.
They only make money when people are losing money, so they encourage and incentivize “losers,” those who bet and lose a lot of money.
One more little fact: 24% of Gen Z and 22% of Millenials think gambling is a form of investing. Hmm… Who can blame them when online gambling companies make their apps look like investing apps?
Again, how is this good for our society?
As educational leaders, we have a responsibility to shield our students from harmful societal trends and empower them with the tools to navigate challenges. Gambling might not seem like an “education issue” at first glance, but its reach into the lives of young people makes it one. By proactively addressing this issue, school leaders can help protect students from its potentially devastating consequences.
Let’s work to ensure that the casino in every pocket stays out of our classrooms and that our students grow into informed, resilient adults.
Here are some suggestions for you to consider in your school:
Actions School Leaders Can Take
- Education and Awareness Campaigns
- Integrate financial literacy into the curriculum, emphasizing the difference between investing and gambling.
- Host workshops for students, parents, and staff about the risks of gambling, particularly online platforms.
- Policy and Prevention
- Review district policies to include language about gambling on school grounds or during school activities.
- Partner with community organizations to provide resources for students and families struggling with gambling addiction.
- Counseling and Support
- Equip school counselors to recognize and address gambling addiction. Provide them with tools to refer families to external support if needed.
- Create safe spaces where students can discuss financial pressures or gambling-related stress.
- Digital Citizenship Programs
- Teach students about how algorithms and data manipulation work in gambling apps to foster critical thinking and skepticism.
- Promote healthy technology use and provide alternatives to gambling apps for entertainment or competition.
P.S. You don’t know it, but I am back a few hours after writing this. I do want to say that if you are disciplined and approach gambling as something to do for fun, then I suppose it is all right. Unfortunately, the big gambling companies are like the social media companies…they know how to manipulate people’s emotions to lead them to do things they might not do without the prompting.
