Our Position

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Minnesota Family Council supports legislation which preserves and promotes family flourishing. A 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturned the federal law which had outlawed state-authorized sports betting. Since then, many states in the country have legalized mobile sports betting, and the industry is worth $10+ billion and growing. Companies with licenses to operate such as DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, and others turn each phone into a sportsbook, allowing each adult to gamble on any athletic activity across the world at every moment. Rather than placing a bet on the outcome of a game, these apps prompt users to bet on any and every aspect of a game, from what the next pitch will be to the outcome of a coin toss.

When a state legalizes mobile sports gambling, the state partners with global corporations which generate revenue from addiction by design and generate tax revenue. In Minnesota, most of the tax revenues are distributed to various gambling interest groups.

Longitudinal research from Southern Methodist University found that less than 5% of sports gamblers are observed to be net winners. Far from legalizing a free market, the house wins. A recent study from Northwestern University found that legalization drains household finances. For every $1 spent on mobile sports gambling, household net investments decreased by $1. UCLA and USC research measured that online sports gambling increases the likelihood of household bankruptcy by as much as 25 to 30% after 3-4 years of legalization.

Much research literature documents high rates of suicidal ideation amongst problem gamblers and high rates of attempted suicide. In fact, the National Council on Problem Gambling reports that 1 in 5 problem gamblers attempt suicide.

We oppose legalization of mobile sports gambling. Minnesota Family Council holds that law should teach what is good and protect citizens from predatory practices of business supported by government. Legalization of mobile sports gambling normalizes usury by protecting companies which addict and indebt users by design.

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FAQ:

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Q: Don’t you support the free market?
A: The market is free when there is free exchange of information regarding the product. In mobile sports gambling, the user does often does not realize that the product is designed to keep the user from winning. For the few who do make money, these companies are known to ban users or severely limit accessibility.