For generations, sports have been about more than winning.
They have taught discipline, teamwork, perseverance, and respect for the rules. Parents have enrolled their children in sports because they build character and prepare young people for life.
Gambling existed, but to the extent it des today.
That changed in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law that largely prohibited state-authorized sports betting. Since then, more than three dozen states have legalized sports gambling, and the industry has expanded at a breathtaking pace.
Americans legally wagered nearly $170 billion on sports in 2025, compared to about $93 billion in 2022. In just a few years, sports betting has become one of the fastest-growing gambling industries in the country. Television broadcasts now feature betting odds throughout games. Sportsbooks advertise during nearly every sporting event. Professional leagues and media companies have entered partnerships with gambling companies. What was once on the sidelines has become part of the product itself.
The nature of sports betting has changed as well.
Years ago, most bets focused on who would win or lose a game. Today, sportsbooks encourage “player prop bets” and “micro-bets” that allow gamblers to wager on individual statistics a player’s rebounds, strikeouts, passing yards, or even the outcome of the next play.
That shift changes the incentives.
A player no longer has to influence the outcome of an entire game to affect a bet. A single statistic can determine whether thousands of dollars change hands. Federal investigations involving professional athletes have shown how these betting markets can create new opportunities for game manipulation. While those accused remain innocent unless proven guilty, the growing number of investigations should concern anyone who values the integrity of sports.
The NCAA has become increasingly outspoken about these dangers. Earlier this year, NCAA President Charlie Baker urged every state with legalized sports betting to eliminate individual player prop bets. In a letter to state gaming commissions, the NCAA warned that prop bets increase harassment of student-athletes, create opportunities for spot-fixing, and make it easier for gamblers to pressure athletes to influence small parts of a game rather than its final outcome. The NCAA also reported that it had opened investigations involving approximately 40 student-athletes across 20 schools over the previous year for potential game manipulation and sports betting violations.
The NCAA’s own research paints an equally troubling picture. A 2026 survey of nearly 7,500 Division I student-athletes from 154 schools found that nearly 60% believe sports betting has led to unfair public scrutiny of athletes. Seventy-four percent of women’s basketball players and 65% of men’s basketball players said betting-related abuse weakens trust between fans and athletes. Among men’s basketball players, one in three reported being directly blamed by fans for gambling losses, and 26% said they had experienced verbal or physical abuse related to sports betting. More than half of the athletes surveyed also said sports betting is damaging the reputation of college basketball.
Athletes are increasingly viewed as betting opportunities rather than competitors. Fans are encouraged to care less about teamwork and more about whether a player scores one more basket or records one more rebound. The gambling industry’s success depends on turning every play into another opportunity to place a wager.
Christians should recognize the danger in this trend. Public policy cannot eliminate greed, but it should not encourage it either. When government expands gambling, it expands the social costs that inevitably follow.
U.S. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama is working to address one part of this problem through the bipartisan Gaming Advertisement to Minors Enforcement (GAME) Act. The legislation would prohibit social media companies and other digital advertising platforms from targeting minors with advertisements promoting sports gambling and would impose significant penalties on repeat violators. The GAME Act is not a cure-all for the broader harms caused by the rapid expansion of sports betting, but it represents one commonsense step Congress should take to protect children from an industry seeking to cultivate its next generation of customers. Shielding minors from targeted gambling advertisements should be part of a larger effort to strengthen safeguards, hold gambling companies accountable, and confront the growing normalization of sports betting.
Alabama has resisted legalizing sports betting despite repeated efforts in the Legislature. Before changing course, lawmakers should consider the experience of other states. The conversation is no longer just about generating tax revenue. It is about protecting the integrity of competition, reducing opportunities for corruption, shielding young athletes from exploitation, and preserving the values that sports are supposed to teach.
Sports should reward talent, discipline, and honest competition. Public policy should protect those values, not transform every game into another gambling market.