Breaking News

The First Opinion Podcast is back

April 9, 2026

March Madness may be over, but sports gambling is always available

Ahead of Monday’s NCAA men’s basketball final, much of the news coverage focused on two overlapping dynamics: 1) what bets to make and 2) how the rise of sports betting is causing damage.
 
According to Isaac Rose-Berman, a fellow at the American Institute for Boys and Men and the guest of this week's podcast, the skyrocketing popularity of sports betting is a burgeoning public health crisis, especially for young men.
While men and women are roughly equally represented at the casino, with “sports betting you’re talking, you know, 85-90% of the users” are men, according to Isaac.
 
That results in two problems from a public health perspective: the financial cost, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicide, and the compulsive behavior that pulls people out of their normal lives.

LISTEN NOW



Enjoying First Opinion Podcast? Tell us about your experience
Continue reading the latest health & science news with the STAT app
Download on the App Store or get it on Google Play
STAT
STAT, 1 Exchange Place, Boston, MA
©2026, All Rights Reserved.

No comments