Okay, let me be the first to admit, I'm not like the others. But I'm happily that way. You see, I'm not a fan of professional or college sport teams. Not in the least. I'm not even an occasional spectator. I don't watch basketball, football, baseball, or hockey on TV. I didn't even know until recently that ESPN has a popular show called Sports Center. My father was the same way, so I just never got hooked on being a sports fan when I was growing up. (The closest I come to being a fan is watching Formula 1, but I enjoy the sport itself, I don't have a favorite team or driver). My wife is not a sports fan either, so our weekends don't revolve around watching "the big game" or talking about it the next day. So, for me, who is nearly completely insulated from professional sports and who always makes his DVR jump through commercials, to become aware of the massive advertising push from fantasy team sites like FanDuel and DraftKings, some super serious money must be involved. It must be relentless for sports fans. From the outside, this looks like it has gone way beyond the likes of an innocent office pool on a game to commercialized, institutionalized legalized mass gambling, available on a daily basis from your phone or computer. And that really can't be good, can it? There will certainly be people who get suckered in and blow large sums of money they can't afford just because it's easy and compelling to do so. So, for those of you that are big fans of professional sports, what do you think the effect is of having fantasy sports on steroids? .
"I only deposited thirty-five dollars and I made over 2 million in a weekend." All I had to see was one commercial like that and I knew it wasn't for me.
The FBI is looking into it. Also was the topic of a Daily Show bit Fantasy Sports: Getting Played by the Game - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Video Clip | Comedy Central
Awww... Man... Not the FBI... They are placing bets too... Crazy world we live in... Sheesh....:confused5:
BruceK, I could have written your opening statement. I walked thru a casino once to get to my hotel room 'cause I had been sent to a convention guess where. Most depressing, obnoxious place I've ever been (except for seeing my li'l guy scattered on the floor in service mode). Fantasy sports? If it sounds too good....
+3 On a rally up in Michigan we had a service area next to the Indian casino. I walked in to use the rest room. Smoke so thick it could have been Beijing's industrial district & the place was full of sad folks feeding slot machines. First & last time ever in a casino. :frown2:
I really dislike gambling in general. Something about putting your money up on the random chance that you'll get it back plus some just doesn't appeal to me. I'd rather go shopping.
IMHO, "Indian Casino" and "Casino" are two different things. Vegas casinos do not resemble most Indian casino in any significant way, other than they both have slot machines. Kind of like a restroom in the Ritz Carlton, vs. a restroom at a scary roadside gas station. Both have toilets...
The one thing all 4 of those do have in common though is a place to flush your money. As a wise old guy once said: "There's something for everyone in this ol' world."
For me they are the same. A place to flush ones money, well maybe one is a higher quality flush. If folks want to flush their money it is fine with me, just not my cup o tea.
I don't think it's a broad question just whether gambling is good or bad (although, if pushed I would generally vote it as "bad"), but it's more that these daily fantasy sites encourage and permit gambling all the time - people don't need to drive to a casino, or find a poker game, or go to the horse track. It's right there on their phones 24/7, beckoning them in. And, from the Daily Show link that Nathan provided above (thanks!) apparently many people have convinced themselves this is not gambiling at all, but instead it is investing. :crazy: And also in the Daily Show link, the fantasy team aspect, advice, and commentary is being ramped up to a tremendous degree by many parties that are not disinterested in the commercial revenue it generates.
I use to play online poker before it was deemed illegal and think it will only be a matter of time before these sites are shut down due to pressure from casinos (who I'm sure would love to get a piece of this action) or due to the gov't not being able to figure out how to collect taxes from it.
DraftKings has applied for and obtained a gambling licence in Britain - which kinda contradicts the "we're not an online gambling organisation" pitch.