Has Sports Betting Become Too Mainstream?

**unde0087** · 02-04-25, 10:39 AM

You mean you get sick of FanDuel 900 commercials every game you watch?

Seriously I can see why they can't afford to have any winning bettors there. They probably spend 4 billion dollars in commercials per day. Every channel that has anything to do with sports you can't go more than 20 minutes without one of their commericals. But then put in the add "gamble responsibly" as they push live in game betting, prop bets, and parlays.

**2Sweeet** · 02-04-25, 10:52 AM

Originally posted by alecmatt5

Don't get me wrong, I was/am all for legalizing sports betting, but it seems (similar to a lot of things these days) that it has majorly overcorrected. Its impossible to watch ANY sporting event without some sort of betting advertisement being thrown in your face. I mean ESPN has its own sportsbook for christ sake. Seems like a blatant conflict of interest. Even just the average fan who a few years ago wouldn't have even been able to read a betting line now has a weekly 10 team parlay they want to tell you about. I'm genuinely worried about how irresponsibly so many people seem to be betting these days. Maybe it will be like a teenage learning to drink responsibly and/or growing out of it after a few years or so. Who knows, but I really do think the advertising specifically has gotten out of control. There really needs to be some rules in place maybe similar to cigarettes where advertising is basically banned altogether.

Curious to hear some other thoughts.

ESPN really doesn't have it's own Sportsbook, Penn Entertainment is the sportsbook and has been rebranded multiple times cuz of there failures as a sportsbook and casino. ESPNs branding is to make you think they are a good book.. Penn Entertainment still can't figure it out online cuz they are flat out Morons. Espn actually gets paid to call it ESPNBET. Now u no.

**alecmatt5** · 02-04-25, 11:04 AM

Tomayto Tomahto. I understand that ESPN didn't create its own sportsbook out of thin air. I'm also well aware of the Penn/Barstool partnership from before and how they basically just gave Dave his company back for free so they could dump a bunch of money into an ESPN partnership. Regardless of the semantics, ESPN directly benefits from sports betting while also claiming to have integrity and 'news'. And whether or not its legal or morally wrong or whatever, it certainly is a conflict of interest.

And all that conflict of interest stuff aside, I really just don't think anyone wants Mike Greenberg's (or insert ESPN 'talent' here) signature bet that some producer helped him with plastered all over the place. It really just has become a bit much. Just a complete oversaturation of betting content from people who really don't even know what they're talking about.

**Headsterx** · 02-04-25, 11:45 AM

I’m generally not in favor of heavy regulations but some businesses I am and gambling is one of them. That’s why I voted against both props in California a few years ago. One of them was one of the worst prop ever campaigned. It talked about sending money to help the homeless and mental illness. WTF does gambling have to do with those issues. (Maybe indirectly… lol)

I prefer a limitation to gambling commercials such as one commercial per live televised sporting event per company. Can’t stand bing bombarded with these commercials.

**stevenash** · 02-04-25, 12:38 PM

Originally posted by unde0087

You mean you get sick of FanDuel 900 commercials every game you watch?

DK is worse with those stupid half hour infomercials.

**JAKEPEAVY21** · 02-04-25, 01:08 PM

Originally posted by alecmatt5

Tomayto Tomahto. I understand that ESPN didn't create its own sportsbook out of thin air. I'm also well aware of the Penn/Barstool partnership from before and how they basically just gave Dave his company back for free so they could dump a bunch of money into an ESPN partnership. Regardless of the semantics, ESPN directly benefits from sports betting while also claiming to have integrity and 'news'. And whether or not its legal or morally wrong or whatever, it certainly is a conflict of interest.

And all that conflict of interest stuff aside, I really just don't think anyone wants Mike Greenberg's (or insert ESPN 'talent' here) signature bet that some producer helped him with plastered all over the place. It really just has become a bit much. Just a complete oversaturation of betting content from people who really don't even know what they're talking about.

ESPN has not had integrity or reported on news for years now.

They just spout left wing narratives 24/7.

As far as the point you are making, I agree and the industry was better years back.

**unde0087** · 02-04-25, 01:32 PM

Originally posted by stevenash

DK is worse with those stupid half hour infomercials.

Ya, they both are out of control. How it is allowed to happen is beyond me.

**Steelers05** · 02-04-25, 04:33 PM

Absolutely!!

I liked it much better back then when I was considered the dgen going to Wally World to send a P2P to some third world country, you actually had to make an effort to get action down and it was somewhat hidden. Nowadays it's right in your face, you can't go into the local ma and pa grocery store without seeing the gaming machines, commercials every where you look, talked about freely now, etc. It is a very dangerous game the books are playing with peoples' lives, especially teenagers. Vices everywhere and higher ups are trying to destroy people so they are desperate and in need, it really is a sick society we live in nowadays when you take a step back.

**Easy-Rider 66** · 02-04-25, 05:55 PM

Play small funds

**hehfest** · 02-04-25, 10:24 PM

You mean like watching a NHL game and seeing Bet MGM going around the boards of the whole rink about 100 times? BET MGM space BET MGM space BET MGM space BET MGM space..............nah. I agree. I'm just worn out by it all. I say that even when I'm on a heater.