Applied Research Paper On Sports Gambling

Gambling has an adverse impact on the individual athlete's or coach's integrity. Reputation diminishes, and the athlete becomes better known for participation in gambling activities than for athletic feats and career accomplishments. Gambling scandals can ruin careers, and permanently mar the individual's ability to participate in the sport again. As Finley, Finley & Fountain (n.d.). point out, gambling also has the potential to ruin the integrity of the entire team, league, or whole sport. "Ensuring an honest and uncorrupted game has been one of the biggest challenges facing sport," (Finley, Finley & Fountain, n.d., p. 41). Baseball in particular has been plagued by gambling scandals. However, other professional sports have also revealed the prevalence of widespread corruption. Finley, Finley & Fountain (n.d.) also note that gambling on college sports has been a problem since the CCNY point-shaving scandal of the 1950s. Point shaving proved lucrative enough for high-profile black market gambling syndicates to flourish. Although most players, coaches, and teams are not corrupt, the few that are have sullied the image of all sports.

One of the biggest reasons opponents of sports gambling are opposed to wagering on sporting events is because of the potential for sports gambling to result in fixed sporting events and ultimately undermining the integrity of professional and amateur sports in the U.S. As Thompson (2008) explains, sports gambling remains illegal and heavily regulated by the government “because of the potential for events to be fixed, or illegally influenced (using bribes or other forms of compensation)” (p. 2). It is not that difficult to see how this might happen, since numerous sports gambling scandals have occurred in the past. The 1919 World Series was fixed by Chicago White Sox players. Pete Rose was banned from baseball and denied admittance to the Baseball Hall of Fame because of his admission to gambling on sporting events while he

Gambling in professional sports is an ethical dilemma that needs to be examined from all angles before making a decision on whether to bet or not. Gambling has been a part our society for thousands of years, dating back to the original Olympic Games in Greece. Depending on where you live, there will be different laws regarding the rules of gambling. The story of Pete Rose shows a good example of what can happen to a sports manager that bets on his own team and others in his sport. In this case, there will be a situation where someone is faced with an ethical dilemma and they must go over all options before making a decision. Before betting on a sports team, one must look at all alternatives to betting and the consequences that come with each one. After this, a choice must be made regarding the ethical dilemma. This decision must be looked at from the legal side of things, as well as your own gut feelings towards your choice. You also must ask yourself how you would feel about it if you told the world what your decision is. The code of ethics of sports managers can also play a role in the decision making process. An ethical theory called utilitarianism will also be a way of looking at how and why the decision was made. By covering all these topics, it will assist in making the decision for an ethical dilemma.

Gambling is perceived in very different ways by its participants and affected parties. There is a stricter and no tolerance view practiced by the National Collegiate Athletics Association [NCAA] whose role is to govern college athletics. A study conducted by (Nelson, LaBrie, LaPlante, Stanton, Shaffer, & Wechsler, 2007) points out that “…the NCAA membership adopted bylaw 10.3 that prohibits athletics department staff and student-athletes from engaging in gambling activities that relate to intercollegiate or professional sport events.” As stated earlier, the individuals mentioned in The NCAA’s bylaw are not the only people participating in sports related gambling activities. Furthermore these individuals, consisting of college students (student-athletes and non participants), and fans also partake in gambling activities unrelated to sports. Their perception of gambling seems less strict than the NCAA. Previously stated, it is viewed as fun, a way to win money, for excitement or entertainment for student-athletes. This view is also shared by college students that are non participants and fans. Another perspective of a non participant or fan on sports gambling suggested by (Nelson, LaBrie, LaPlante, Stanton, Shaffer, & Wechsler, 2007) states that there are some “…sports fan who might gamble on sports as a way of “being in the game.” In addition, (Nelson, LaBrie, LaPlante, Stanton, Shaffer, & Wechsler, 2007) mentioned that this attitude may stem from there being

While playing a sport in college, athletes have other various costs as well. A survey taken in 1989 of college football players resulted in 31% of players that gambled illegally, but 48% of people knew a player that gambled. Players are giving out team information to gamblers, so they can bet more accurately on the game to win money (Porto). Athletes do not have any extra time for a job, so it is difficult for them to make money. The players are taking a risk to gamble, which is illegal by the NCAA. Furthermore, the student-athletes will do whatever it takes to make some money to help pay for other costs in college.

Nash Weitzman lost almost $500,000 by betting continuously on fantasy football. On websites like Fanduel and Draftkings, People can join one week leagues to earn money by drafting teams and betting money. If the team that these people draft win, then the person receives money. Should it be legal to bet on this? Forbes.com says that “Playing fantasy football for money is very likely illegal.” In some states, it is illegal to gamble, but not illegal to bet on fantasy football websites. There is also an argument on why betting on fantasy football should stay legal.

One reason we should not pay college athletes is they will have extra money for the temptation to gamble. Gambling by athletes is a growing social cost of big time college sports (Hearn). If we do not pay these athletes they will not have a lot of extra money to gamble. The result of a Michigan study revealed that more than 5 percent of players’ have either given information about their team, bet on games they have played, or shaved points for money (Hearn). Affecting

Betting on sporting events should be illegal throughout the United States in order to protect citizens from the threats posed by betting and gambling. Barbara Mantel states that “Americans spend billions of dollars a year betting on sports, the vast majority of it illegally through offshore websites, local bookies and office pools” (Mantel). Many Americans are under the impression that betting can earn you a lot of money when in reality it does the exact opposite. Sports betting does not impact just citizens, as athletes and sporting officials have been known to place bets on their events, and even throw matches to ensure bets go their way. Preventing sports betting can make amends to such issues like match-fixing, betting addictions, and illegal online betting websites.

As we end the summer many Americans will conduct their fantasy football leagues. A majority of these leagues are just for fun, but for some, there could be a lot of money and pride on the line. That is why it is extremely important for them to conduct research on a player or defense that they would select. Without the proper research, a fantasy football player could be one pick away from the winnings.

Sports betting was not a new thing in the early 1900s and has contributed to the fixing of games all throughout history. Players would intentionally lose a game to pocket money from gamblers who placed bets on who was going to lose. This practice ruins the integrity of sports and makes the games pointless. A perfect example of this would be the Black Sox scandal of 1919, perhaps one of the greatest examples proving that baseball was not that clean of a game. Eight Black Sox players allegedly conspired to intentionally lose the 1919 world series against the Cincinnati Reds. An act that would have consequences on baseball even to this day.

“It’s illegal to bet on college athletics in 49 states,” said former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz, “Why isn’t it in the 50th state as well?” Gambling is an institution that has been a part of people’s lives for many years; recently a new area has attracted attention for betting. College athletics are now an integral piece in gambling and provides a broader scheme for sport betting. The industry is fed by one state out of 50 in which sport gambling is legal. The legalization of college sport gambling in Nevada has created huge controversy in the United States, because of the corruption, such as game rigging and point shaving (Bartlett 53). These problems cause many people to believe that the industry should be completely outlawed.

There also are arguments about the legality of fantasy sports! “There is no single definition of what constitutes “gambling” or “wager,” and it should come as no surprise that the states are all over the map in identifying what types of betting are permissible or illegal” (Henning). “Fantasy sports are specifically exempt from the definition of a “bet or wager” in the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act” (Henning). Fantasy sports are being investigated and still will be investigated until proven right or

“We do not want our games to be used as bait to sell gambling,” NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said. “We have to make it clear to the athletes, the fans and the public, gambling is not a part of sport, period.”

    Since their very beginning, sports have been immersed in society and often times gambled on. This gambling increased with the rising popularity of college sports, and came to the forefront through scandals involving illegal betting and point shaving. One such scandal occurred just down the road from St. Francis de Sales High School at the University of Toledo.

Fantasy sports are huge in North America yet it has it is a huge epidemic. Many people are for it because of it bringing in new viewers to the games. On the other side of the argument people are against because they find it gambling just over sports instead of a poker game. Fantasy sports is bad for sports because it destroys the relation between team and fan also, has a negative effects on the fantasy sports users lives, and the marketing scheme is manipulative.