2025 | Week of November 11 | Radio Transcript #1644

Last month, just as Wisconsin legislators introduced a bill legalizing online sports betting, the FBI busted the biggest sports betting scandal in years. In light of this scandal, the Wisconsin legislature should recognize that increasing access to gambling is betting on a losing game.

The Wisconsin Constitution currently restricts sports betting to tribal casinos, but this recently introduced bi-partisan bill seeks to expand access to sports betting by allowing online wagers to be placed through servers that are located on native lands. This legislation is known as the “hub and spoke” model and has already passed in Florida and Kansas. In addition, many other states have passed other bills legalizing online sports betting.

Supporters of the bill claim that since online sports betting is already happening illegally, the bill simply legalizes currently occurring activities. But, their thinking is clearly misguided. Just because an illegal activity is occurring doesn’t mean that we should legalize it. Should we legalize shoplifting because people shoplift? What about drunk driving? Rather than legalizing illegal activity, we ought to seek to put it to a stop.

Proponents of the bill also claim that it will bring in needed revenues to the state. Democrat State Senator Kristin Dasslet-Alfheim says that she expects this law to create a ten percent increase in gambling revenues.[i] While legalizing online sports betting may bring in immediate revenues, lawmakers must look down the road at the long-term losses.

Research demonstrates the manifold negative effects of gambling. One study found that states that legalized online sports betting experienced an increase in bankruptcy, debt sent to collections, use of debt consolidation loans, and auto loan delinquencies. The authors of the study point out that these results are “substantially stronger for states that allow online sports gambling compared to states that restrict access to in-person betting.”[ii] Other research shows that in the never-ending fervor to secure more cash, gamblers often incur massive credit card debt and dry up retirement savings. When funds run out, many turn to illegal methods of gaining cash such as stealing, prostitution, embezzlement, insurance fraud, and the use of loan sharks.[iii] The Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling reports that 65 percent of compulsive gamblers commit crimes to finance their gambling.[iv]

In addition, as gamblers experience losses in the game, their mental health often deteriorates. The Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling reports that suicide rates among pathological gamblers are 20 times higher than among non-gamblers.

Another study found that divorce rates among problem gamblers are forty percent higher than that among low-risk gamblers and non-gamblers.[vi] The societal impacts of divorce also wreck financial devastation. In total, the National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that the annual national social cost of problem gambling is fourteen billion dollars.[vii] Gambling leads to increase in crime and destruction of healthy families. Legislators must look long term and recognize that the negative financial and societal effects of legalized online betting far outweigh the immediate increase in revenues.

Just one day after the bill was introduced, a huge NBA gambling scandal was exposed. The Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was arrested for his alleged actions in a gambling operation with the mafia and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier allegedly told betters that he would fake an injury to secure their bet. Other indictments included involvement in rigged-poker games backed by the mafia. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. called it “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.”[viii]

This scenario reveals the many dangers of increased legalization of gambling. In this case, men with successful careers, risked – and will probably lose – everything for the game. In addition, innocent players became victims of rigged games, leading to unfair losses.

The Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling reports that approximately 333,000 Wisconsin residents have a gambling problem.[ix] This number reflects over seven percent of the population over the age of eighteen. Why would we want this number to increase?

Wisconsinites deserve better than increased access to destructive behavior. Legislators who value the health of families and the well-being of society should oppose bills that bring losses to Wisconsin.

For Wisconsin Family Council, this is Daniel Degner reminding you that God, through the prophet Hosea, said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

[i] https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2025/10/29/new-bill-would-legalize-online-sports-betting-in-wisconsin-circumventing-state-constitution/

[ii] https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4903302

[iii] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3004711/

[iv] https://wi-problemgamblers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PA-Annual-REPORT-2022.pdf

[v] https://wi-problemgamblers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PA-Annual-REPORT-2022.pdf

[vi] https://www.citizensagainstgambling.com/history-gambling-wisconsin/#_ftn1

[vii] https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/faqs-what-is-problem-gambling/

[viii] https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46695228/sources-terry-rozier-arrested-part-gambling-inquiry

[ix] https://wi-problemgamblers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PA-Annual-REPORT-2022.pdf