13.71 billion dollars, this is the striking amount of revenue the online betting industry raked in, according to a study published by the AGA (American Gambling Association). It marks another shocking milestone in the growth of the online betting market and represents more than a fifteenfold increase in revenue since 2019. This comes as more states, including Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, are poised to loosen or eliminate legislation banning casinos and online betting services from operating within their borders.
Sports gambling has exploded into a massive market, with companies like FanDuel, BetMGM, and DraftKings collectively reporting over 10 million active users in 2024. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) found in a March 2025 poll that 28% of U.S. adults gamble online daily, and nearly one in four sports bettors (24.9%) have failed to pay bills because of their addiction. One of the most troubling aspects of this expansion is the rise of proposition bets, or prop bets, wagers placed on specific events or individual player performances that are not directly tied to the final score. With bettors risking thousands, sometimes millions, on individual moments in games, athletes have become targets of harassment when bets do not hit. Many players have reported racist, derogatory, or threatening messages, including death threats, all because a bettor lost money.
Prop betting has also raised serious concerns about corruption and game integrity. In recent years, multiple high-profile cases have shown how easily gambling can influence athletes. The Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier scandals illustrate how insider information and personal wagers can compromise entire games. Rozier allegedly informed a friend he would remove himself with a fake injury, information that was reportedly sold to bettors for around $100,000. Porter allegedly placed over a dozen bets on NBA games through an associate’s account and was linked to a parlay worth $1.1 million that depended on his underperforming. Similar issues have emerged in college athletics, from the University of Alabama baseball betting scandal to investigations involving Fresno State and San Jose State men’s basketball teams.
It is appalling that players, many of whom earn millions through contracts or NIL deals, feel compelled to cheat the game for quick cash. This nationwide problem is spreading rapidly, threatening to affect every level of sports. Thankfully, around 15 states have begun fighting back by banning prop bets on collegiate athletes, and others have implemented restrictions. However, this is still not enough.
As sports gambling continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, the risks it brings cannot be ignored. What was once a niche hobby has evolved into a nationwide industry capable of influencing athletes, shaping fan behavior, and even threatening the integrity of competition itself. The rise in prop betting, harassment, and corruption shows that this issue reaches far beyond entertainment. Without stronger oversight, clear regulations, and better education for young people and adults alike, the problems we are seeing now will only intensify. If we want to preserve the fairness, excitement, and trust that make sports meaningful, we must confront the dangers of unchecked sports gambling before it becomes too deeply rooted to control.
