Sports betting apps are making it easier than ever to spend — and lose — money quickly, with research linking their rise to worsening credit and higher debt.
Aggressive tactics like constant push notifications and “bet now” promotions are designed to create urgency and keep users coming back.
Consumers can take steps to protect themselves, like limiting notifications and setting boundaries, but experts say stronger protections may be needed.
Placing a quick bet on your phone might feel harmless — even fun — especially during big events like March Madness. But behind the convenience and flashy promotions, experts say sports betting apps could be taking a real toll on consumers’ financial health.
According to research and consumer advocates like the National Consumer League, the rapid rise of mobile sports betting is making it easier than ever to spend — and lose — money, often without fully realizing the impact. Studies have linked legalized sports betting to rising credit card delinquencies and declining credit scores, particularly among younger consumers who are the most active users.
ConsumerAffairs spoke with Eden Iscil, Senior Public Policy Manager at the National Consumer League, to help consumers better understand the financial risks — and perhaps more importantly, how to protect yourself and your finances.
Betting apps want you to act urgently
Iscil explained that one of the biggest risks to consumers' finances and overall credit is the urgency that many sports betting apps employ to entice people to spend more and bet more.
“The most concerning practice we found was how aggressively betting apps were using their notifications as an advertising vehicle,” Iscil said. “They use terms like ‘bet now’ and ping you with time limited offers.
“Consumers might want a message every now and then related to account security or the payout of a bet. I don’t know how many people would allow notifications if they knew it’d result in ads on their phone saying ‘bet now.’”
Push notifications are part of the problem
The immediacy and frequency of push notifications directly from sports betting apps is another key component here. Iscil explained that we’re essentially always exposed to the temptation of betting, and these apps have gotten creative at making us feel like we need to keep opening the app and placing new bets.
“Push notifications are uniquely effective at getting our attention,” Iscil said. “Notifications give advertisers greater customizability compared to text messages. Notifications are also more likely to be read compared to an email message.
“This is especially problematic right now because unlike SMS and email, there are no explicit federal regulations on how businesses can advertise via app notifications. An email marketing practice that would get you fined is ok as long as you do it over push notifications, which is more effective ad space anyway.”
Protecting yourself and your finances
If you find yourself falling victim to the pressures of sports betting apps, hope isn’t lost. Iscil shared some strategies for consumers to have more control of their betting and their finances.
“Some apps may allow you to turn off marketing notifications in the app’s settings. But most don’t clearly label that feature and some don’t offer that capability at all,” Iscil said.
“Consumers can turn off notifications for an app in their device’s settings, but they should know that doing so will turn off all notifications, marketing and not. They might miss out on important messages, like login attempts or cash withdrawal updates, which is why it’s so important for there to be a dedicated setting to turn off just marketing notifications.”
Iscil also likened sports betting ads to advertisements for cigarettes or tobacco, and work needs to be done to ensure consumers aren’t fed constant notifications from these sources.
“We have set a standard in this country that we don’t tolerate ads for especially addictive products, like tobacco,” Iscil said. “Cigarette ads on the radio were too egregious for policymakers and were banned by the 70s.
“The idea that an addictive product should be able to send you constant messages on your phone’s lock screen should not be normalized. These kinds of tactics are barbaric really.”