The Super Bowl is this Sunday and along with the pageantry, food, and football comes the sanctimonious think pieces about the so-called “evils” that football brings with it, including sports betting.
One such piece in the Free Beacon gives a sermon on the evils of sports betting that would make a tent revival preacher proud with the talk of weakened morality and the prospect of people having fun. You can read the indignant homily here https://freebeacon.com/columns/america-gambles-with-its-future/
I understand how some in how hallowed political and religious institutions want to stop this supposed cultural rot and decline, but many of the same people also stood behind a presidential candidate with multiple marriages and iniquities as a defender of the faith.
Legalizing in-person and online sports betting is not only a no-brainer decision for the State of Texas, but for all of the country. The talk of preserving what little public morality that remains rings hollow when we have a culture built on excess for indulgence on food, pleasure, and vanity.
24 states allow for in person or online betting and frankly that’s an embarrassment if you’re a free market conservative with this onerous regulation on a multi-billion dollar industry. The conservative choice for sports betting is to legalize with few regulations.
Every gambling website, app, and advertisement gives out a web address or phone number if someone needs help with a gambling addiction. America in 2022 is more accepting of people with addictions and resources to help with overcoming addictions.
Legalized sports gambling isn’t the hill to die to keep from coming to fruition and fighting for this prohibition isn’t noble nor is it necessary at this point in the American experiment. This tribute to the temperance movement should be put in the dustbin of history.
There’s too many problems I and millions of other Americans have besides my neighbor, in the peace and quiet of his home, bets a few units on Purdue laying 4 points on the road. There’s no slippery slope at stake if people mind their own business.
Allen Corbin writes stuff for Raiderland. Sometimes you like it, sometimes you don’t. Feel free to post your comments below! Corbin isn’t afraid to hear from you.
