The allure of big money is a siren song that has long resonated with Black communities in America. For decades, gambling has been an entrenched part of the Black experience, from underground card games to high-stakes cockfighting events during Reconstruction. However, the latest iteration of this phenomenon – online sports betting – poses a uniquely insidious threat.
As the biggest day of both legal and illegal sports betting approaches, industry analysts estimate that a record $1.76 billion will be legally bet on today's game via U.S. sportsbooks. And if history is any indication, Black people, and Black men in particular, will watch the game more than any other group – and sportsbook advertising will dominate the telecast.
The problem is not just that Black people are being targeted with ads, but also that they are being encouraged to participate in a high-risk activity that can have devastating consequences for their mental health, finances, and relationships. A 2025 Pew poll found that 30% of Black people and 27% of Hispanics have personally bet on sports in the last year, compared to just 19% of white people.
The statistics are stark: according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan and Rice University, legal sports betting is linked to a substantial increase in violent crime. And yet, despite these risks, Black people are being bombarded with messages that tell them that gambling is fun, exciting, and necessary to fully experience sports.
The latest crop of Black celebrities – from Kevin Hart to LeBron James – have all lined up to become ambassadors for major online sportsbooks. Their ads often feature cartoonish confidence and humor, presenting gambling as a harmless way to enjoy the game. But these messages are carefully crafted to circumvent viewers' fears about the hazards of gambling.
The real question is: who benefits from this phenomenon? The answer is clear: corporations that want to tap into untapped Black markets. By partnering with Black celebrities and using social media to promote their wares, online sportsbooks are able to reach a younger, more diverse audience with scant regulation on where, when, or how they're marketed.
The consequences of this trend will be dire if left unchecked. As the online sports betting bubble grows, it's likely that the cultural stigma surrounding gambling will begin to dissipate, leaving Black people vulnerable to exploitation and harm. We already see the impact of parasocialism – the tendency for fans to idolize celebrities who often become their surrogate friends – being exploited by sportsbooks to promote their services.
The latest iteration of this phenomenon is a stark reminder that nothing has changed since Jackie Robinson and Sammy Davis Jr. became ambassadors for Chesterfield cigarettes in the 1950s. Corporations are still using Black celebrities to enter into untapped markets, often without regard for optics or consequences.
As we watch the Super Bowl unfold, it's essential to remember that behind every big win is a high-stakes gamble – one that can have devastating consequences for individuals and communities. The question is: who will be left holding the bag when the bubble bursts?
As the biggest day of both legal and illegal sports betting approaches, industry analysts estimate that a record $1.76 billion will be legally bet on today's game via U.S. sportsbooks. And if history is any indication, Black people, and Black men in particular, will watch the game more than any other group – and sportsbook advertising will dominate the telecast.
The problem is not just that Black people are being targeted with ads, but also that they are being encouraged to participate in a high-risk activity that can have devastating consequences for their mental health, finances, and relationships. A 2025 Pew poll found that 30% of Black people and 27% of Hispanics have personally bet on sports in the last year, compared to just 19% of white people.
The statistics are stark: according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan and Rice University, legal sports betting is linked to a substantial increase in violent crime. And yet, despite these risks, Black people are being bombarded with messages that tell them that gambling is fun, exciting, and necessary to fully experience sports.
The latest crop of Black celebrities – from Kevin Hart to LeBron James – have all lined up to become ambassadors for major online sportsbooks. Their ads often feature cartoonish confidence and humor, presenting gambling as a harmless way to enjoy the game. But these messages are carefully crafted to circumvent viewers' fears about the hazards of gambling.
The real question is: who benefits from this phenomenon? The answer is clear: corporations that want to tap into untapped Black markets. By partnering with Black celebrities and using social media to promote their wares, online sportsbooks are able to reach a younger, more diverse audience with scant regulation on where, when, or how they're marketed.
The consequences of this trend will be dire if left unchecked. As the online sports betting bubble grows, it's likely that the cultural stigma surrounding gambling will begin to dissipate, leaving Black people vulnerable to exploitation and harm. We already see the impact of parasocialism – the tendency for fans to idolize celebrities who often become their surrogate friends – being exploited by sportsbooks to promote their services.
The latest iteration of this phenomenon is a stark reminder that nothing has changed since Jackie Robinson and Sammy Davis Jr. became ambassadors for Chesterfield cigarettes in the 1950s. Corporations are still using Black celebrities to enter into untapped markets, often without regard for optics or consequences.
As we watch the Super Bowl unfold, it's essential to remember that behind every big win is a high-stakes gamble – one that can have devastating consequences for individuals and communities. The question is: who will be left holding the bag when the bubble bursts?
. it's so sick that black ppl r being targeted with these ads & encouraged to participate in a high-risk activity that can ruin their lives 
. the fact that black celebs like kevin hart & lebron james r promoting these sportsbooks is just another example of how ppl r being exploited for profit 
. we gotta be careful not 2 fall into this trap & remember that there's a real risk involved in all this 
This sports betting thing is getting way outta hand! I'm all about keeping it real, but these big corporations gotta be aware of how they're affectin' ppl, especially Black people 
. They're not just talkin' to us 'cause we're the most likely to bite, they're manipulatin' our emotions too with them cute celebrity ads 
. I got a cousin who's into sports betting and his life went straight downhill after he started gettin' in too deep...that's not a trend, that's a warning sign 
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. It's like they're trying to make us think that betting on games is fun, not a high-risk activity that can mess with your mental health and finances 
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Not me, that's for sure 
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like, come on, corporations ain't got nothin' but profit on their minds 
it's like they're gettin' paid to promote somethin' that can ruin lives 
and then they got these social media ads that just keep pumpin' the same message 
but for real, these ads with kevin hart and lebron james are straight fire 
but at the same time, can u blame them? they're getting paid a lot of $$$ 
and we need to be careful about how it affects our communities 
. And what really gets me is that these Black celebrities are being used as marketing tools without anyone thinking about the consequences 
. And what about all those Black people who can't afford to gamble? Are they just going to be left behind? 
. We need to be more mindful of how our culture and celebrities are being used to promote products that can harm us 
. The stats on violent crime linked to sports betting are scary, and I fear that this trend will only get worse if we don't speak up 
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. The consequences of this trend could be dire if left unchecked 
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I'm telling you, this online sports betting thingy is like, super shady 
It's all about the benjamins, fam 
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. We need to think carefully before we start betting and make sure we're not getting taken advantage of 