The Culver Public Policy Center hosted its annual Pizza and Policy event last Thursday, Feb. 12, in Hubbell Hall, where speakers from multiple disciplines discussed sports betting.
The speakers included Simpson College’s Assistant Athletic Director Tara Rehmeier, professor of sports science and administration Matt Garret, professor of psychology Don Evans, and Travis Hines, Iowa State Cyclones columnist for the “Des Moines Register” and “Ames Tribune.”
The event kicked off with a crowd survey conducted by the Culver fellows group for the 19 Simpson students who attended. The survey found half of the crowd thought most people their age could manage online sports gambling without getting into financial trouble. Most people in the crowd agreed online sports gambling is addictive and damaging to mental health.
Then, the panel began taking questions. The first one centered on the growth of sports betting and how it has changed in recent years.
“Growing up, it was a Las Vegas thing. That was about the only place you could legally do it,” Hines said.
He also mentioned the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision which allowed gambling to proliferate across states. This led to a surge in the popularity of sports betting.
Garret added statistics to this claim.
“There were $150 billion in legal sports bets in 2024, which is a 22% increase from 2023 and predictions are that we will see double-digit increases from here until the rest of the decade,” he said.
As the discussion progressed, the panel turned its attention to the psychological effects of online sports gambling.
“The thing that concerns me more as a clinical psychologist than the money itself is the impact it has on people and their families,” Evans said.
Evans went on to explain how money is one of the biggest sources of turmoil in families, and when members get involved in gambling and the money begins to disappear, it can create stress and lead to relationship strain .
Sports betting isn’t only affecting the mental health of those losing money on their bets, but also impacts the young people they’re betting on.
“When you talk about student-athletes, the concern is not the integrity of the sports, it is the onslaught of social media messages if the bettor lost their bet and they want to blame it on the team or a player,” Hines said.
Hines said in some cases, these hate messages athletes receive have even caught the eye of law enforcement and the FBI because they involve threats.
Rehmeier explained how Simpson students aren’t experiencing hate because people are losing the bets they placed on Simpson’s athletic performances; however, she explained there is still no reason people should be betting.
The discussion highlighted the importance of awareness and responsibility as sports betting becomes more normalized among young adults and billions of dollars are being wagered each year.
