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The difference is that cigarettes directly affect people around you via secondhand smoke, which is a clear externality. The real problem with sports betting is

The difference is that cigarettes directly affect people around you via secondhand smoke, which is a clear externality. The real problem with sports betting is the immoral anticompetitive behavior of the gambling companies, which kick any "smart" money with too high of win rates off of their platforms. And that means that the gambling platforms aren't just platforms allowing the spreads to be set by users, but also active participants trying to use their own predictions to gamble against their users or tweak the spread, essentially double dipping.

ecshafer 3y ago
If someone is addicted to gambling, they make some bets and lose losing their rent money leading to eviction. And that person has a children. Are those children not affected by gambling?
- jonfw 3y ago
  If we take impact on your own family has an externality, then all behaviors have externalities. I could easily spend enough of my time and money playing golf to negatively impact my loved ones. An externality generally refers to the general public
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
- AlexandrB 3y ago
  I think the difference being pointed out is that the externalities from smoking are far more visible and public. The harm from gambling is very localized to the families affected and happens at the end of the month - when it's time to pay the rent. You don't see it except in rising rates of poverty and dysfunctional families.
  - voxic11 3y ago
    maybe also the state has to spend more money subsidizing these dysfunctional families to ensure their children are fed and housed. But the state also usually taxes gambling pretty heavily so maybe its still an overall gain for the state's bottom line.
paganel 3y ago
Lots and lots of innocent people that are affected by the externalities of sports betting, i.e. lots of families who have seen their brothers, sons and husbands go down this perilous route to never come out again, in many cases taking the entire family down with them in a financial downhole.

ecshafer 3y ago

If someone is addicted to gambling, they make some bets and lose losing their rent money leading to eviction. And that person has a children. Are those children not affected by gambling?

jonfw 3y ago
If we take impact on your own family has an externality, then all behaviors have externalities. I could easily spend enough of my time and money playing golf to negatively impact my loved ones. An externality generally refers to the general public
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
AlexandrB 3y ago
I think the difference being pointed out is that the externalities from smoking are far more visible and public. The harm from gambling is very localized to the families affected and happens at the end of the month - when it's time to pay the rent. You don't see it except in rising rates of poverty and dysfunctional families.
- voxic11 3y ago
  maybe also the state has to spend more money subsidizing these dysfunctional families to ensure their children are fed and housed. But the state also usually taxes gambling pretty heavily so maybe its still an overall gain for the state's bottom line.

paganel 3y ago

Lots and lots of innocent people that are affected by the externalities of sports betting, i.e. lots of families who have seen their brothers, sons and husbands go down this perilous route to never come out again, in many cases taking the entire family down with them in a financial downhole.