Plain English with Derek Thompson The Casino-ification of America
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Mar 20, 2026 
McKay Coppins, an Atlantic staff writer covering politics and culture, explores how sports betting exploded from a niche pastime into a force shaping sports, media, and public life. He gets into why betting hooks people so fast. They also examine ad-fueled league turnarounds, abusive fan behavior, prediction markets on war and elections, and the growing push for guardrails.
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America Once Treated Gambling As A Contained Vice
- America long treated gambling as a tolerated vice to contain, stigmatize, and regulate rather than normalize.
- McKay Coppins traces that ethic from Puritan bans and George Washington to PASPA's collapse after New Jersey challenged it.
Why Sports Leagues Made Peace With Gambling
- Sports leagues embraced gambling because it sold more ads directly and kept younger fans watching full games instead of highlights.
- McKay Coppins says leagues now feel economically trapped because gambling money is too intertwined to easily reject.
Nate Silver Roasted The Amateur Betting Instinct
- McKay Coppins asked Nate Silver for help after amateur bets left him down and exposed how casually people gamble badly.
- Nate Silver roasted his college football chase bets and warned that props, parlays, and emotional live betting were classic sucker behavior.
