30-second summary
- Gambling with gaming is an “evolution of society”
- Sport is adapting to what its fan base wants
- Other countries are limiting gambling advertising
Gambling in gaming
The general manager of the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) says that gambling as part of gaming is part of the “evolution of society.”
In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg’s Stephen Engle in Tokyo, Jerry Dipoto was asked his opinion on gambling and MLB’s gambling partnership with MGM. In particular, Engle wanted to know if the move was hypocritical given the fact that Pete Rose was banned for life from Major League Baseball in 1986 for betting on MLB games when he was manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
In response, Dipoto said: “I don’t think it has anything to do with the history of gambling in baseball, even dating back to the Black Sox. This is, again, the evolution of society and gaming, gambling, fantasy sports have been such a big part of the last 15-20 years in baseball, and sports in general. Baseball has done a remarkable job at staying rooted in its fundamental beliefs and I think the fact that we’re adapting to the society around us just shows that this league is trying to hear what its fan base is telling us.”
The Black Sox baseball scandal was an alleged game-fixing incident in which eight members of the Chicago White Sox were accused of deliberately losing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for money from a gambling syndicate.
Many people gamble on sports. In fact, for many it has almost become the norm. Whether it’s placing a bet on the horses, the dogs, a favorite football team, or a baseball game, gambling has steadily associated itself with sporting events.
Yet, while it has certainly become a lucrative market, not everyone thinks that it’s a good idea.
Limiting gambling advertising
For instance, last week it was reported that a new gambling code of conduct will be in place by July 1 in Denmark.
According to the report, the move is aimed at reducing problem gambling and limiting the amount of gambling marketing, particularly marketing that might reach young children.
In the UK, a whistle-to-whistle ban has been imposed on gambling advertising during sporting events. It’s hoped that this will limit the amount of gambling young people are exposed to and that it will reduce the issue of problem gambling.
The US, however, is embracing gambling, in the form of sports and online betting. So much so, that it was reported at the end of January that the fear of missing out (FOMO) may be driving the push to legalize sports betting in the US.
At the time, it was noted that 15 US have pending bills to legalize sports betting. Eight states have already legalized it: Delaware, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. Among the states seriously considering legalization are Arizona, Colorado, New York, and Tennessee.