The dirty secret behind the hobby costing young men thousands of dollars

Jonathan D. Cohen, author of *Losing Big: America’s Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling*, delves into the explosive growth of sports betting in the U.S. He discusses the psychological pull of placing bets, comparing apps to social media's addictive designs. The conversation highlights how lobbying shapes state legalization and the fiscal motivations behind it. Cohen shares a personal story of addiction, raising questions about the effectiveness of regulation. He connects sports betting to broader cultural trends of gamification, predicting its future expansion.