The Varsity When Sports Media Marries the Sportsbook
Jan 25, 2026
Danny Funt, Washington Post contributor and author of Everybody Loses, investigates the rise and risks of American sports gambling. He explores sportsbooks’ thin margins and the pivot to higher‑margin products. He discusses marketing’s role in normalizing betting, micro‑betting risks, VIP incentives, and likely consumer‑protection reforms modeled on Europe.
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Sportsbooks Run On Tight Margins
- Sportsbooks operate on thin margins even for market leaders like FanDuel and DraftKings.
- Companies will chase higher-margin products and online casino expansion to boost profits.
Tighten Advertising And Promotion Rules
- Regulate advertising, promotions, and timing to reduce gambling harm and youth exposure.
- Lawmakers can restrict whistle-to-whistle ads, deceptive new-customer offers, and time-of-day placements.
Marketing Is Easier To Curb Than Props
- Marketing saturation is an easier political target than banning prop or in-game bets.
- But states reliant on prop-bet tax revenue may resist banning those bets.
