NASHVILLE — As news breaks of a federal investigation into the fantasy sports industry, Baptist commentators warn that betting in fantasy leagues is not harmless fun.
The FBI is currently investigating [the] daily fantasy sports business model to see if it violates federal law, zeroing in on fantasy websites DraftKings and FanDuel. The entire industry is confronting accusations of “predatory tactics” and improper handling of insider information.
In daily leagues “filling slots on your fantasy team becomes more like a slot machine, feeding the obsessive compulsion to turn small amounts into large winnings in a day,” said Mike Whitehead, an attorney in Kansas City, Missouri, who has served on the staffs of two Southern Baptist Convention entities.
John Babler, professor of counseling at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, said the problem with fantasy sports is that for some, it “dominates [their] lives and to some degree holds [them] captive.”
Even when it is not an addiction, Babler said, “the problem and allure of betting is not related to the amount of money won or lost, but that it is a distraction from God’s purpose and intent for us in regard to work and reward.” (BP)
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