Growing up, one of my favorite things to do with my dad was watch sports. Baseball, football, or even golf was often on the TV screen at the Prosser house. In particular, I loved watching the Super Bowl every February. I didn’t just enjoy the game; the atmosphere that surrounded the game was a blast. The nachos, wings, and pizza went right along with the silly commercials and the big play that no one could believe just happened. The memories I have of the smiling faces of friends and family in those cultural moments are indelibly imprinted in my mind.
Sadly, many families across North Carolina won’t have the same memories. This is due to the unfortunate reality of sports gambling. What was once a fun experience for family and friends has now become a nightmare for some of the same people. Children may watch a father worried sick to the point of violent anger about losing family income if his choices were incorrect. Teenage boys, who once spent time cheering on their favorite team or discussing their favorite football snack, may now be glued to a sports gambling app to pick their next bet.
While the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks prepare for Super Bowl 60, an alarming estimation signals that this will be a tragically historic game. Analysts are reporting that $1.71 BILLION will be spent in gambling for the 2026 game. Over $76 million of that is expected to come from North Carolina, which only spent $1.5 million in 2022. (At that point, sports betting was only legal in the two Cherokee casinos.) That’s a 4,966.67% increase in only 5 years.
The exponential increase is due, in large part, to the legalization of online sports gambling in North Carolina — passing in 2023 and taking effect in 2024. (The 2025 Super Bowl was the first time residents across the state could legally gamble online for the big game.)
NC Family has long warned of the detrimental effects of predatory gambling. Online sports gambling is a dangerous tentacle into the homes of North Carolinians and will harm current and future generations. Regardless of the short-term gains that a few gamblers may receive from their wagers, the lasting consequences of predatory gambling are being realized right before our eyes.
There is a great deal of truth to the old adage that when gambling, “The house always wins.” However, even more true is the reality that when our fathers and sons are crippled by addiction to online sports gambling, our homes always lose.
On Feb. 8, I hope that you enjoy the Super Bowl with family and friends. Whether you are cheering for Patriots, Seahawks, or buffalo wings; please do so without bringing the lasting harmful effects of sports gambling into your home. When we choose to be intentional with our time and attention, focusing on the relationships we’ve been blessed to have, our families win.