PodcastPodcast, The Take

Sports betting has become a mainstay in American culture. Are companies profiting off people’s compulsions?

Published On 24 Nov 202524 Nov 2025

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Sports used to be about the game. Now, for millions of fans, it’s about the bet. A 2018 Supreme Court decision turned sports into a multibillion-dollar machine – one that’s driving addiction and hitting young men the hardest. How did a quiet policy change unleash an industry preying on America’s loneliest, most financially anxious people?

In this episode:

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Isaac Rose-Berman (@roundrobin42) – Gambling Research and Policy Fellow at American Institute for Boys and Men

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Melanie Marich, Haleema Shah, and Diana Ferrero with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tamara Khandaker, Tracie Hunte, Noor Wazwaz, Farhan Rafid, Fatima Shafiq, and Malika Bilal. It was edited by Kylene Kiang and Alexandra Locke.

The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Diana Ferrero, Tracie Hunte, Tamara Khandaker, Kylene Kiang, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Melanie Marich, Catherine Nouhan, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Farhan Rafid and Fatima Shafiq. Our host is Malika Bilal. 

Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

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