Advocacy in Action: The Truth and Integrity Movement for Gambling Reform

DraftKings and FanDuel compete for U.S. online gamblers, but they also furiously lobby together—and now share one especially large investor you may not have heard of.That billionaire, Kenneth Dart, has quietly built huge stakes across the sector. Americans lost $27 billion to state-sanctioned online gambling in 2025, and losses this year are on pace to set a new record.According to The Irish Times

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana plans to have a prediction-market online gambling business via a deal with the controversial Kalshi.Through a tribal-owned application powered by Kalshi, the Tribe would offer potentially harmful products to its members and people elsewhere.The announcement comes as other Native American tribes are fighting the New York-based Kalshi in federal court.The Tribe a

The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, a leading gambling addiction advocacy group in Washington, has left the National Council on Problem Gambling over the Kalshi deal.According to an eight-page letter obtained by GamblingHarm.org, ECPG withdrew its NCPG membership effective Sept. 17, 2026. Its withdrawal follows similar actions taken by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, the Ohio Casino Cont

The City of Philadelphia has responded to a federal lawsuit from DraftKings over the early stages of an investigation into the online casino and sportsbook’s business practices.In April, Philadelphia subpoenaed DraftKings to investigate advertising directed at city consumers. DraftKings instead filed a lawsuit on July 17. On Sept. 15, Philadelphia responded in a 38-page court filing seeking to hav

The movement to bring systemic change to online sports gambling is gaining major momentum this month with the launch of a platform for people affected by the gambling of someone they know.The Truth and Integrity Movement for Gambling Reform, backed by the Boston-based Public Health Advocacy Institute, has launched Families and Friends of Gamblers, a platform to give voice to millions of affected o

Using any form of sports gambling product can significantly undermine your household’s financial health, according to startling new Bank of America findings released ahead of the 2026 NFL season.Bank of America internal data showed that households with someone betting on sports had depleted bank account balances. “In 2026, the median deposit account balance of households that participated in onlin

David Booth, who founded a firm now managing more than $1 trillion in assets, said prediction markets and their gambling offerings are a bad idea, comparing them to drug use.In an op-ed for the Financial Times, Booth, 79, wrote: “I feel about prediction markets the way I feel about drugs — they’re probably not a good idea. Prediction markets […] are just the latest example of people being taught t

Media frenzy around an Anthropic researcher claiming that people in the industry believe rogue AI could wipe out humanity has me searching for analogies in the gambling sector. After all, the guy said AI companies are “gambling with our lives,” alongside another employee’s highly speculative 10% chance of human extinction by 2030.My skepticism stems from analysis of a purported “rogue” AI incident

One of the U.S. regulated sports betting industry’s most depraved promotions appeared three years ago, when DraftKings tried to turn the anniversary of 9/11 into a parlay.On Sept. 11, 2023, DraftKings marked the 22nd anniversary of the horrific Sept. 11 attacks with a sports betting promotion called “Never Forget.”Yes, that actually happened.The Infamous DK Sept. 11 PromoOn Sept. 11, 2023, DraftKi

Doug Ellin, creator and director of the hit HBO series Entourage, which aired over a decade ago, said a new gambling ad was content “theft” from the series.Ellin responded to a new gambling advertisement from the Jake Paul-backed Betr, also calling it “trash.”The ad featured cameos from former Entourage stars Adrian Grenier and Jeremy Piven, who appeared to reprise their roles from the series, whi

ESPN, the controversial sports and gambling network, was served a subpoena this week in Connecticut as part of the state’s investigation into prediction-market gambling.Kalshi advertising has appeared during ESPN’s U.S. Open tennis coverage through the courtside signage visible during matches.The Disney-owned network, based in Bristol, Connecticut, was among 15 media organizations to receive subpo

A leading national gambling-reform group is urging the United States Tennis Association to end its new partnership with prediction market platform Kalshi before the US Open Finals.In August, Kalshi announced a multi-year partnership with the USTA, becoming the exclusive partner of the US Open beginning with the 2026 tournament.Stop Predatory Gambling, based in Massachusetts, demanded that the USTA

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the state’s regulator of sports betting, voted Thursday to remain a member of the nation’s richest problem gambling group despite its recent infusion of cash from the controversial prediction market Kalshi.MGC Chairman Jordan Maynard said leaving the National Council on Problem Gambling would be a “symbolic gesture,” and he opposed it. Regulators in Michigan cu

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an $8 million settlement with VGW, the operator of Chumba Casino, Global Poker, and LuckyLand Slots.The state had accused the Australian company of illegally offering dangerous and damaging online casino gambling to its residents.The settlement covers disgorgement, restitution, penalties, and costs stemming from VGW’s use of the “dual-coin” sweepst

Actress Sydney Sweeney has inked a sports gambling sponsorship deal with the prediction market Novig.In the ad campaign, Sweeney is shown nearly naked acting out sports like basketball, hockey, and tennis. The softcore porn video was posted to Instagram on Wednesday.“Think you know sports? Prove it,” Sweeney says at the beginning of the advertisement promoting the New York-based prediction market.

Hunter Biden is entering the harmful crypto-gambling space, alongside President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and many other so-called influencers. Biden plans to launch a so-called meme coin, also known as a “shitcoin,” for its speculative use and potential for gambling-related harm.Biden teased the launch Monday on X. According to the Wall Street Journal, Biden is launching the controversial

The unofficial “godfather” of U.S. online sports betting admits that the industry has become “a little bit disturbing.”Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who led efforts to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the industry’s growth since 2018 has been troubling.Legal online sportsbooks won nearly $17 billion from bettors in 20

The NFL says bets on so-called “prediction markets” sports-gambling platforms are ripe for corruption, insider trading, and other forms of manipulation, making them a match-fixing risk in NFL games.It’s a potentially enormous problem, as many fans already partake in the conspiracy theory that the NFL is rigged related to gambling.It’s also an historic “the leopards are eating my face” moment for t

NBA star LeBron James on Saturday announced a “partnership” with Polymarket, a controversial prediction-market gambling platform.James, who recently signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, also has a gambling partnership with DraftKings Sportsbook.DraftKings is a licensed sportsbook in Pennsylvania, while Polymarket is not.James’ 14-second video didn’t reveal much about the relationship. Around eight

Is Kalshi influencing Ken Paxton? Is Las Vegas Sands influencing James Talarico?The stain of gambling money could play a role in a remarkably close race for the Senate in the Lone Star State.Either way you vote in Texas, you’re backing a candidate tied to—and potentially corrupted by—gambling interests.Gambling Money FlowingPaxton, the Texas attorney general and current U.S. Senate candidate, has