Ward Sutlive, Campus Carrier sports editor

Cole Baggett, Campus Carrier asst. sports editor

Sports gambling has seen a surge in popularity in recent years due to easily accessible online platforms and widespread legalization across 39 different states. Sports betting now accounts for 20% of the gambling industry. Betting websites such as DraftKings and FanDuel are constantly advertised on social media and television, even during professional sports games. An increasing rate of young people now struggle with sports betting, with one in three young adults placing bets before the age of 21 according to ESPN. With these trends rising, Berry administrators are working to prevent this phenomenon from affecting students.

“I think sports gambling is just wasting money,” Tristan Summers, a senior on the Berry football team, said. “It’s not only ruining sports, but also young men who are trying to grow in life and save money because you can bet on almost anything.”

Gambling of any kind is not permitted on Berry’s campus. According to Assistant Athletics Director Ginger Swann, while sports gambling isn’t a major problem for Berry at the moment, the school’s athletics administration has procedures in place for when a student is caught betting. The college has also taken steps to educate students and players about the dangers of sports betting. Swann believes that due to the addictive and unpredictable nature of sports gambling, all sports administrators should take the issue very seriously. She emphasized the need for education on the dangers of sports betting.

“Obviously this is a serious topic, but I think it’s even bigger that we try to educate and support our players on a bigger level,” Swann said.

Clayton Felts, lecturer of communication, warns that despite often beginning as a small distraction sports gambling can easily become an obsession preventing people from being active, healthy participants in their community. These worries have intensified with the rise of sports gambling apps that make the betting process significantly faster.

“There’s these apps now where you just need a phone to download it,” Felts said. “It’s a lot easier to do that now compared to if I have to go drive somewhere and physically place the bet.” 

As an industry projected to surpass $650 billion in revenue during 2026, gambling has become more accessible than ever before, with sports betting playing a major role in this growth. While the relationship between sports and gambling is anything but new, modern technologies have virtually erased all barriers of entry. In the past, sports betting was carried out behind closed doors.

Today, sports betting is much more public than it once was. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled against the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in Murphy v. NCAA, allowing individual states to determine the legality of sports gambling. This has paved the way for companies to release apps that make it very easy for users to place bets quickly.

“ESPN or any of the networks that cover games constantly advertise betting, and I think it’s just kind of been forced unto us,” Summers said.

For many fans, these apps are a gateway to engage and interact with the games they watch. Users are presented with team and player statistics, market trends, and real-time odds. Many people, especially young men, find this experience thrilling. The potential financial return is still a major influence for bidders, and the plethora of accessible information for each game may lead some to become overconfident in their betting. It is highly recommended that users exercise caution when gambling. According to Felts, the unpredictability of sports makes betting on them risky. 

“These are highly designed apps and algorithms to keep you engaged and keep you betting,” Felts said. “I would caution students to understand the risk and know that these companies are out to make money.”

Summers believes that these apps as well as the culture surrounding sports betting can have negative effects on the sports industry. Fans have begun to show a great deal of disrespect and contempt towards the players they once idolized, merely because they want to win money and are angry that their bets fell through. This can lead to burnout among the players. 

“If you’re doing something you love and someone is harassing you even though you’re doing your best, it can definitely be very discouraging,” Summers said. 

While sports betting is a major issue, it’s less of a problem at Berry. According to Head Football Coach Tony Kunczewski, gambling has never truly been a problem for his players. Despite that, Kunczewski is aware that sports betting is becoming a bigger issue and may be something he has to deal with in the future. Because of this, he plans to educate both himself and his players on how just how dangerous and addictive this type of gambling can be. 

“As a coach, I think it’s part of your responsibility to keep up with the changes of what’s going on culturally like sports betting, so we need to do a better job of educating our players because it’s becoming more prevalent,” Kunczewski said.

According to Swann, Berry wants to help students who have fallen victim to gambling addiction. Swann emphasizes the well-being of student athletes and the importance of preventative measures and education on the issue. Team coaches act as healthy role models for their athletes, and the athletics department continuously emphasizes a community of support and service to promote character growth. Should a student struggle with a gambling addiction, however, Swann hopes to create a safe environment where they may speak up and ask for help. The counseling center has several resources available.

“My hope is that the all-encompassing education and support that we provide is something that can help student athletes in terms of being prepared for challenges like this,” Swann said.