Marshall Worth
October 27, 2026
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Commentary
This Is Mafia Behavior
The next time you see a sports betting commercial, take note of the tiny text at the bottom of the screen. It will read something like this:
“Please gamble responsibly. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.”
Companies like FanDuel and DraftKings do not include those disclaimers out of the goodness of their hearts or because they actually care about preventing Americans from getting addicted to their products. They only do so because U.S. law requires it.
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The second man CBS featured is professional bettor Mike Manning. Unlike most sports gamblers, Manning does not place wagers based on intuition. He uses a mathematical approach with analytical models, and the method has proven highly successful. It has earned him his living.
When Massachusetts launched sports gambling in 2023, Manning signed up with every sports gambling app available. He did very well, winning on nearly every platform. Then something unexpected happened. They capped his bets.
“On BetMGM, he started betting $1,000-$5,000 per game, but soon, he said, he was only able to bet $5. On DraftKings, he said he was limited to $25 per bet.”
“It’s that whole ‘ban or bankrupt’ model,” fellow professional bettor Gadoon Kyrollos told CBS.
“You’re exploiting the losing bettor, you’re taking advantage of them, and guys like me get shown the door,” Manning added.
This story’s takeaway is as clear as the sky is blue: the sports betting industry is not your friend. They see Americans as nothing more than ATM machines they can bleed dry, and they have no problem getting people hooked on a wildly gnarly vice to do so. Casino magnates like Randy Fine and Miriam Adelson may see that as appealing, but the rest of us find it gross.
If you are a young man, we hope you will resist the urge to go down the sports betting path. It costs Americans billions of dollars each year, it destroys lives, and the people who run it will have no problem going out of their way to get you hooked. The only solution is to simply never start. You will thank yourself later.
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The ‘ban or bankrupt’ model” seems like a deceptive trade practice and the FTC should step in and stop it. It’s unfair to the suckers who fall for this advertising.
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