- Financial advisor Dave Ramsey recently discussed the dangers of online sports betting for young men on his podcast.
- Ramsey emphasized the prevalence of ads, which is true based on research that shows a 25% year-over-year increase in sports betting advertisement impressions.
- Many studies have proved a drastic increase in problem gambling across the country.
FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Dave Ramsey recently went viral for claiming that online sports gambling is destroying young men’s chances at financial freedom. Plenty of sources support his claims, especially if users don’t participate in legal sports betting with responsibility and self-imposed restraint.
Online sports gambling is destroying a generation of young men. pic.twitter.com/uRlL6UlWWA
— Dave Ramsey (@DaveRamsey) January 6, 2026
“The fastest growing addiction that is destroying young men in their 20s is online sports gambling. FanDuel is a portal to hell. DraftKings ain’t king of nothin’ except their own pocketbook, and they’re screwing an entire generation of young men because you don’t win. That’s why they can afford to buy ads, they’re back to back to back to back ads every time you turn on a sporting event. They’re spending billions of dollars, you know where they’re getting that? It’s out of your kid’s freaking pocket because they’re screwing an entire generation. This is evil stuff right here.”
Sports Betting Advertisements Continue To Flood Televisions
Ramsey mentioned that there are too many sports betting ads during sporting events, and he isn’t wrong. According to a sports betting tv advertising transparency report published by iSpot, sports betting ad impressions have climbed 25% year-over-year from Jan. 1-Aug. 15.
These ads are leaking outside of just sports events, with 41.3% of sportsbook TV ad impressions being delivered during non-sports programming. In 2022, this number was just 25.9%, proving a steady increase in advertising for online sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel outside of just sports.
Problem Gambling Also Steadily Increasing Across US
Dave Ramsey’s main point in his viral post was the “fastest growing addiction” portion, and he is absolutely correct about it. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine led by researchers from the University of California San Diego Qualcomm Institute and School of Medicine shows the drastic increase in gambling addiction post-PAPSA.
“Parallel with the growth in sportsbooks, internet searches for help with gambling addiction, such as “am I addicted to gambling”, have cumulatively increased 23% nationally since Murphy v. NCAA through June 2024. This corresponds with approximately 6.5 to 7.3 million searches for gambling addiction help-seeking nationally, with 180,000 monthly searches at its peak.”
Breaking it down by states with sports betting, at least eight states saw a 30% or more increase in problem gambling help seeking since 2018. Since online sportsbooks became available, searches for gambling addiction help surges 61% and has surged past expected search numbers.
| State | Increase Gambling Addiction Help Seeking |
|---|---|
| Ohio | 67% |
| Pennsylvania | 50% |
| Massachusetts | 47% |
| Michigan | 37% |
| New York | 37% |
| Illinois | 35% |
| New Jersey | 34% |
| Virginia | 30% |
Bettors must be able to set limits for themselves and have control over their wagering. While many states have attempted to pass legislation to limit sports betting advertising and other protective measures, it comes down to the player at the end of the day.
You are not alone. Please visit this page if you need Resources for Problem Gambling.
