Dear Editor:
Initiatives 440 and 441 would legalize online sports betting in Nebraska. We have heard of the story of Robin Hood taking from the rich to give to the poor, but if Initiatives 440 and 441 were to pass, it would be somewhat like the opposite, the poor giving to the rich.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said that signing the December 2021 bill to legalize sports betting in Ohio was the biggest mistake of his time in office. DeWine pointed out the massive flood of mobile sports betting ads and rising addiction rates, particularly among young men up to age 45. The rise in online wagering led to direct threats against college athletes, including players at the University of Dayton.
According to https://unherd.com, “Bankruptcies jump 28 percent in states with legal online sports betting.” A recent joint study from the University of Michigan and Rice University found that legal sports betting is linked to a 30 to 70 percent overall increase in violent and impulsive crimes during game days from the start of a major league game through four hours after its conclusion.
Andy Forsberg
Marquette