Michigan Business Beat | Karley Abramson, Citizen Research Council, The Real Costs of Sports Betting Growth

Originally uploaded March 23rd, reloaded April 15th. Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Karley Abramson, Author and Lead analyst for health policy, Citizen Research Council of Michigan Online sports betting has grown quickly in Michigan. From a policy and economic perspective, how big has this industry become in just the past few years? Your research suggests problem gambling behaviors are increasing. What signs are policymakers and communities seeing that indicate the human costs are rising? Many people view sports betting as entertainment. How can policymakers balance protecting consumers while still allowing a legal industry to operate? You mention policy options to reduce harm. What are one or two practical steps states like Michigan could take to better protect people from gambling addiction? With nearly a quarter of Americans having a sports betting account, what should business leaders, educators, or community organizations understand about the broader social and economic impacts of this trend? » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Watch MBN’s YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/ Policy Options to Hedge the Worsening Human Costs of Online Sports Betting In a Nutshell: Online sports betting has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry in Michigan over the last six years. Problem gambling behaviors have increased due to ubiquitous sports betting apps, leading to financial harm, health issues, and safety concerns. Policymakers have options to mitigate the harm caused by gambling addiction while also respecting people’s rights to engage with sports betting as an entertainment product. Many states, including Michigan, have legalized online gambling and sports betting in the last decade, which has led to a proliferation of the industry and a significant economic impact, including tax revenues. Last month, Governor Whitmer presented her Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget recommendations, which included a series of revenue increases aimed at shoring up Medicaid in the wake of changes to federal funding. One of those proposed revenue increases included “updating the state’s internet gaming, sports betting, and online gaming tax structure” to raise approximately $190 million. In the six years since online sports betting became legal in Michigan, the industry has grown substantially, providing entertainment to many people and tax revenue to support public services. While many people engage with online sports betting responsibly, a portion of the population is susceptible to problematic gambling behaviors that harm themselves and others. The state has a variety of policy options to blunt some of the negative consequences of online sports betting without abolishing the market for everyone. Alone, or in conjunction with federal action, the state can regulate the industry to limit some of the more dangerous aspects of online sports betting, such as prop-bets and credit card deposits. It can also work toward better support for people with gambling addictions by opening up grants and insurance coverage for treatment, as well as working to coordinate between gaming regulation and health agencies. Karley Abramson joined the Research Council in 2022 as a Research Associate focusing on health policy. Previously, Karley was a nonpartisan Research Analyst at the Michigan Legislative Service Bureau where she specialized in the policy areas of public health, human services, education, civil rights, and family law. Karley has worked as a research fellow for various state and national organizations, including the National Institutes of Health and the ACLU of Michigan. She is a three-time Wolverine with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, a master’s of public health, and a juris doctor from the University of Michigan.