The question is asked, “Why is gambling a political issue for TPOL?”
Like everything today, anything that involves liberty, government, and society has a political aspect. But gambling is important politically today for several reasons.
One of the greatest matters of interest is sports betting. For a very long time, the FedGov had banned virtually all betting on sports. Not that the ban really was very effective. It was seen as immoral, corrupting, and a form of criminals preying on gullible people. It was seen as corrupting to the sports themselves: when hundreds of thousands or millions of FRNs ($) were at stake, the bribing of sports figures (players, fighters, etc.) was a major issue. The infamous Black Sox scandal in the early 1900s was just one example.
But in 2018, SCOTUS decided that the FedGov ban on sports betting was unconstitutional! More and more States since then have explicitly legalized the practice, and the business (industry) sector.
While various sources of statistics vary, here are some numbers for “legal gambling revenues” for 2023:
Total: $109.5 billion
Casinos (commercial): $49.4 billion
Tribal gaming: $41.9 billion
Sports gambling (not including parimutuel): $11.0 billion
Online: $10.4 billion
Retail: $0.6 billion
Online casino: $6.2 billion
Online (sports and casino): $16.6 billion
Now, in today’s atmosphere of multiple-trillion dollar federal deficits every year, just over $100 billion isn’t much. But the economic impact of gambling, and particularly sports gaming, is obvious. And there is strong evidence that the number of bucks “invested” in gambling (sports and other) may be 5 to 10 times greater in 2026 than what we could find online.
In less detailed breakdown, one source (rg.org/statistics/us reports: “In 2025, regulated U.S. sportsbooks processed $165.58 billion in handle, generated $16.80 billion in gross gaming revenue, and contributed $3.66 billion in state taxes across 39 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.” Just with these numbers, we see a growth rate of about 10% per year.
A measure of the impact was shared by a correspondent: who told us that St. Bonaventure University study found that half (48%) of American men aged 18-49 have an online betting account. When you consider that it’s not even legal in all 50 states yet, it gives you an idea of the growing problem we have on our hands. The old British and even big city (here in the States) idea of bookies has given way to massive investor-owned enterprises with the latest and greatest technology. The concept of grayhound and horse racing a few weeks a year in specially supervised, regulated, and site-controlled tracks and betting cages is gone. Instead, sports gambling (and many other kinds) are even easier to access on a cellphone or PC app than buying that lotto ticket at the convenience store checkout.
The most telling number may be that $3.66 billion in state taxes. Note that does not include what the IRS collects in FedGov income taxes from gamblers and the businesses that cater to them.
In less than a decade, sports betting, and many other kinds, have spread from a single State (Nevada) to 39 States and several territories. More and more government agencies rake in the bucks, and more and more people – especially men – are sucked into a lose-lose game.
As that first correspondent wrote us, “Gambling is for morons.” But we know that collectively, the electorate is a moronic community. And the politicians their shills are expert at taking advantage of that stupidity.
In the ancient Roman imperium, at least in the major urban areas (Roma, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria) gambling was a key mechanism in the “bread and circuses” that kept the proles (and much of the aristocracy) under the thumb of the Senate and Emperor. We suspect that we are seeing the same process, just with the wonders of instant communication (two-way) to speed and “improve” the process.
Political? Absolutely. We don’t envy or want to deny people fun, as long as their “fun” doesn’t hurt other people. But we discourage gambling more because it is stupid than because it is sinful in many people’s eyes, and does create situations in which innocent people, children and others, can be harmed. But the greatest danger is the additional power that it gives to governments. Whether it is an ambition, publicity-hungry cop or DA in Wyoming going after a businesswoman allowing people to play “shake-a-day” or someone betting $10K on the last game of the World Series, knowing that government will get 5-25% of that bet (not just the winnings) in taxes and fees.
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.
More about gambling and the government
The question is asked, “Why is gambling a political issue for TPOL?”
Like everything today, anything that involves liberty, government, and society has a political aspect. But gambling is important politically today for several reasons.
One of the greatest matters of interest is sports betting. For a very long time, the FedGov had banned virtually all betting on sports. Not that the ban really was very effective. It was seen as immoral, corrupting, and a form of criminals preying on gullible people. It was seen as corrupting to the sports themselves: when hundreds of thousands or millions of FRNs ($) were at stake, the bribing of sports figures (players, fighters, etc.) was a major issue. The infamous Black Sox scandal in the early 1900s was just one example.
But in 2018, SCOTUS decided that the FedGov ban on sports betting was unconstitutional! More and more States since then have explicitly legalized the practice, and the business (industry) sector.
While various sources of statistics vary, here are some numbers for “legal gambling revenues” for 2023:
Now, in today’s atmosphere of multiple-trillion dollar federal deficits every year, just over $100 billion isn’t much. But the economic impact of gambling, and particularly sports gaming, is obvious. And there is strong evidence that the number of bucks “invested” in gambling (sports and other) may be 5 to 10 times greater in 2026 than what we could find online.
In less detailed breakdown, one source (rg.org/statistics/us reports: “In 2025, regulated U.S. sportsbooks processed $165.58 billion in handle, generated $16.80 billion in gross gaming revenue, and contributed $3.66 billion in state taxes across 39 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.” Just with these numbers, we see a growth rate of about 10% per year.
A measure of the impact was shared by a correspondent: who told us that St. Bonaventure University study found that half (48%) of American men aged 18-49 have an online betting account. When you consider that it’s not even legal in all 50 states yet, it gives you an idea of the growing problem we have on our hands. The old British and even big city (here in the States) idea of bookies has given way to massive investor-owned enterprises with the latest and greatest technology. The concept of grayhound and horse racing a few weeks a year in specially supervised, regulated, and site-controlled tracks and betting cages is gone. Instead, sports gambling (and many other kinds) are even easier to access on a cellphone or PC app than buying that lotto ticket at the convenience store checkout.
The most telling number may be that $3.66 billion in state taxes. Note that does not include what the IRS collects in FedGov income taxes from gamblers and the businesses that cater to them.
In less than a decade, sports betting, and many other kinds, have spread from a single State (Nevada) to 39 States and several territories. More and more government agencies rake in the bucks, and more and more people – especially men – are sucked into a lose-lose game.
As that first correspondent wrote us, “Gambling is for morons.” But we know that collectively, the electorate is a moronic community. And the politicians their shills are expert at taking advantage of that stupidity.
In the ancient Roman imperium, at least in the major urban areas (Roma, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria) gambling was a key mechanism in the “bread and circuses” that kept the proles (and much of the aristocracy) under the thumb of the Senate and Emperor. We suspect that we are seeing the same process, just with the wonders of instant communication (two-way) to speed and “improve” the process.
Political? Absolutely. We don’t envy or want to deny people fun, as long as their “fun” doesn’t hurt other people. But we discourage gambling more because it is stupid than because it is sinful in many people’s eyes, and does create situations in which innocent people, children and others, can be harmed. But the greatest danger is the additional power that it gives to governments. Whether it is an ambition, publicity-hungry cop or DA in Wyoming going after a businesswoman allowing people to play “shake-a-day” or someone betting $10K on the last game of the World Series, knowing that government will get 5-25% of that bet (not just the winnings) in taxes and fees.
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About TPOL Nathan
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.