The U.S. online sports betting industry is under further attack following a recent episode on the Tucker Carlson Network.
Carlson, the right-wing media pundit and former Fox News host, took aim at the proliferation of state-sanctioned online sports betting.
“I’m hearing from young people who I am related to or work for me, about people getting in trouble with sports gambling,” Carlson said in a conversation with podcaster Saagar Enjeti.
Following Enjeti’s extremely negative description of the industry, Carlson responded:
“This is so dark … Why not just say it’s disgusting and predatory? By the way, they’re preying, as the crypto people do—sorry—on the frustration and sadness of young men who know they are never going to be able to afford a wife, kids and a house.”
After tying in online sports betting to a broader discussion of the political economy, Carlson said:
“Totally amoral predators took control of our society at every level … The real criminals are the ones who are loaning you money at 30% interest, or getting you to go bankrupt on a sports gambling app. Those are the villains. Why don’t we go after them?”
He also called Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey who successfully pushed for legalized sports betting, “the lowest [person], ever.”
Significance of Carlson’s Comments
The two-hour-long episode covered a wide range of topics, including the Jeffrey Epstein case, Iran, Elon Musk, among others. Sports betting was only a brief segment.
Carlson’s attack on the sports betting industry likely won’t get widespread attention, and it’s unclear whether he will ever talk about sports betting again. Still, it’s further evidence of cracks in public opinion of sports betting.
Carlson’s controversial political positions need no introduction.
For people who vehemently disagree with Carlson on other issues but align with him on sports betting, this could be considered a classic example of the popular internet meme: “The Worst Person You Know Just Made a Great Point.”
Carlson’s comments on sports betting are the latest example of how criticism of online sports betting spans the political spectrum.
Still, the SAFE Bet Act, federal legislation aimed at establishing nationwide regulation of sports betting, remains supported only by Democrats.
Carlson Follows Costas In Condemning Gambling
Over on NBC’s Meet the Press, retired sports broadcaster Bob Costas recently spoke against the sports betting industry.
Costas, a longtime critic of gambling, talked about his late father’s sports betting addiction.
He said that sports betting can “ruin lives.”
Comments from Costas and Carlson come as the City of Baltimore, a Democratic stronghold, is suing DraftKings and FanDuel over allegedly predatory advertising.
The sportsbooks are also fighting numerous lawsuits across the country from former users alleging gambling harm.
What’s Next for Sports Betting?
For the first time since a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling opening the door to the betting industry, no new state appears poised to legalize the activity in 2025.
Later in 2025, Missouri planned the launch of online betting apps following a 2024 law.
Sports betting legalization has stalled at the state level, with the huge markets of California and Texas still on the betting industry sidelines.
Meanwhile, unregulated sports betting websites, many of which are based out of Curaçao, run rampant in states with or without legalized sports gambling.
There’s also a fight brewing between the state-regulated betting industry and the federally-regulated betting platform Kalshi, the leading sports “trading” platform in the U.S.
Kalshi, which calls Donald Trump Jr. a “strategic advisor,” is available nationwide and in September 2025 announced plan for college betting influencers. However, court battles, such as Massachusetts versus Kalshi, could decide the platform’s fate.
Taken all together, it’s a volatile moment for the betting industry.
Related: Daily Fantasy Sports Illegal And Addictive, California AG Says
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