Leaders | High rollers

America’s gambling boom should be celebrated, not feared

The gambling frenzy is mostly about people being free to enjoy themselves

An American football player kicking dice
image: Pete Ryan

A craze for betting is sweeping over America. This year Americans are on track to wager nearly $150bn on sports, having bet a paltry $7bn in 2018. Another $80bn is being wagered in online casinos; in the few weeks when election gambling was legal before the presidential vote, hundreds of millions of dollars were placed on the outcome. Even physical casinos are spreading. Soon the island of Manhattan could have its own casino towering over Times Square.

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This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “America’s gambling frenzy ”

From the December 7th 2024 edition

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