<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD>Time to treat sports gambling like the social problem it is
BY TIM OTTEMAN • September 2, 2008
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Gambling has become socially acceptable in the United States. From government-sponsored lotteries to resort casinos in Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City and on Native American reservations throughout the country to betting on sports with friends and family, via the Internet or with local bookmakers, gambling has probably replaced baseball as the American pastime.
However, it is no longer acceptable to view sports gambling as OK because "everybody does it." It is time to recognize this issue as a major social problem and to dedicate the time, money and resources necessary to educate the American public about the dangerous consequences. We have done a tremendous job with reducing drunken driving, unprotected sex and the sharing of intravenous needles. It's time to tackle sports gambling.
The Nevada Gaming Commission reports that about $2 billion is legally wagered in more than 170 sports books in that state each year. The National Gambling Impact Study estimates that illegal wagers run between $80 billion and $380 billion a year. The consequences of sports gambling can be severe -- from addiction to accumulation of substantial debt to participation in other illegal activities.
People bet on sports for a variety of reasons. Initially, it is because they believe they can be financially successful. Add to that the excitement or rush of having "action" on the game, an avenue to "compete" in sports without having to physically perform, and the ability to use sports knowledge, and you have the "perfect storm."
But perhaps there is a silver lining in these most recent scandals. Maybe these cases can serve as educational icons for the negative consequences of sports gambling -- much like the crashed, burned-out car in front of high schools did for the anti-drunken-driving campaign.
Maybe now we can begin to see that individuals involved with illegal sports gambling do pay penalties that are significant and not just a slap on the wrist: loss of job, public embarrassment and humiliation, and even federal jail time.
The first step in combating this dangerous issue is to continue research dedicated to sports gambling. While problem gambling, casino gaming and gambling by youths have been explored, limited resources have been allocated to studies examining wagering on sports. Although I have recently concluded a study of college students who illegally bet on sports, additional studies need to be done at different sized and geographically varied institutions. Longitudinal research, participant-observation studies and additional studies with student-athletes also are critical to gaining a full understanding of the depth and breadth of this social problem.
We also need to spend the appropriate time and energy to educate the public about illegal sports wagering and enforce current legislation. Other than bets via sport books in the state of Nevada and a sports-related lottery card in Oregon, sports gambling is illegal throughout the United States.
Because most sports gamblers are introduced to it as adolescents, educational programs that include information regarding prohibited activities and subsequent punishments should be initiated in junior high and high schools and carried over to college campuses. Parents should be included in education programs, just as they are for alcohol and drug awareness.
Because sports gambling is primarily a male-dominated activity, it is essential to direct educational efforts toward at-risk populations, such as male sports teams and fraternities. The de facto leaders of these groups, including athletic directors, coaches, trainers, residence life personnel and student life professionals, need to be trained not only in school policy and current law, but also in the terminology, warning signs and negative consequences of this behavior.
To assist law enforcement, we need to better monitor our educational equipment and facilities where sports gambling occurs. College student gamblers admit they use computers to gather sports gambling information and place bets, and some even run bookmaking operations from student housing and disseminate betting sheets throughout campus.
Gambling scandals not only create anxiety and apprehension for professional teams, universities and the governing agencies of sport, but also cause uneasiness in Joe Sports Fan. Because wagering on sports jeopardizes the integrity of sports and, subsequently, sports as a critical thread in the social fabric of American life, we need to kick off a national effort to combat this opponent before it is too late.
TIM OTTEMAN is an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Administration at Central Michigan University. Contact him at ottem1tw@cmich.edu. His Web site is www.timotteman.com.
Fuck this guy. Its people like this that does not help . I wonder if after writing this garbage if he went outside to smoke a cig. Or I wonder if while watching a game he drinks a beer.
This guy is an asshole.
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BY TIM OTTEMAN • September 2, 2008
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Gambling has become socially acceptable in the United States. From government-sponsored lotteries to resort casinos in Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City and on Native American reservations throughout the country to betting on sports with friends and family, via the Internet or with local bookmakers, gambling has probably replaced baseball as the American pastime.
However, it is no longer acceptable to view sports gambling as OK because "everybody does it." It is time to recognize this issue as a major social problem and to dedicate the time, money and resources necessary to educate the American public about the dangerous consequences. We have done a tremendous job with reducing drunken driving, unprotected sex and the sharing of intravenous needles. It's time to tackle sports gambling.
The Nevada Gaming Commission reports that about $2 billion is legally wagered in more than 170 sports books in that state each year. The National Gambling Impact Study estimates that illegal wagers run between $80 billion and $380 billion a year. The consequences of sports gambling can be severe -- from addiction to accumulation of substantial debt to participation in other illegal activities.
People bet on sports for a variety of reasons. Initially, it is because they believe they can be financially successful. Add to that the excitement or rush of having "action" on the game, an avenue to "compete" in sports without having to physically perform, and the ability to use sports knowledge, and you have the "perfect storm."
But perhaps there is a silver lining in these most recent scandals. Maybe these cases can serve as educational icons for the negative consequences of sports gambling -- much like the crashed, burned-out car in front of high schools did for the anti-drunken-driving campaign.
Maybe now we can begin to see that individuals involved with illegal sports gambling do pay penalties that are significant and not just a slap on the wrist: loss of job, public embarrassment and humiliation, and even federal jail time.
The first step in combating this dangerous issue is to continue research dedicated to sports gambling. While problem gambling, casino gaming and gambling by youths have been explored, limited resources have been allocated to studies examining wagering on sports. Although I have recently concluded a study of college students who illegally bet on sports, additional studies need to be done at different sized and geographically varied institutions. Longitudinal research, participant-observation studies and additional studies with student-athletes also are critical to gaining a full understanding of the depth and breadth of this social problem.
We also need to spend the appropriate time and energy to educate the public about illegal sports wagering and enforce current legislation. Other than bets via sport books in the state of Nevada and a sports-related lottery card in Oregon, sports gambling is illegal throughout the United States.
Because most sports gamblers are introduced to it as adolescents, educational programs that include information regarding prohibited activities and subsequent punishments should be initiated in junior high and high schools and carried over to college campuses. Parents should be included in education programs, just as they are for alcohol and drug awareness.
Because sports gambling is primarily a male-dominated activity, it is essential to direct educational efforts toward at-risk populations, such as male sports teams and fraternities. The de facto leaders of these groups, including athletic directors, coaches, trainers, residence life personnel and student life professionals, need to be trained not only in school policy and current law, but also in the terminology, warning signs and negative consequences of this behavior.
To assist law enforcement, we need to better monitor our educational equipment and facilities where sports gambling occurs. College student gamblers admit they use computers to gather sports gambling information and place bets, and some even run bookmaking operations from student housing and disseminate betting sheets throughout campus.
Gambling scandals not only create anxiety and apprehension for professional teams, universities and the governing agencies of sport, but also cause uneasiness in Joe Sports Fan. Because wagering on sports jeopardizes the integrity of sports and, subsequently, sports as a critical thread in the social fabric of American life, we need to kick off a national effort to combat this opponent before it is too late.
TIM OTTEMAN is an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Administration at Central Michigan University. Contact him at ottem1tw@cmich.edu. His Web site is www.timotteman.com.
Fuck this guy. Its people like this that does not help . I wonder if after writing this garbage if he went outside to smoke a cig. Or I wonder if while watching a game he drinks a beer.
This guy is an asshole.
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hno:
