Thanks. That was an interesting article. It was great to read the thoughts of a pro. I have done a bit of sports betting over the years although these days I tend to just do tipping/draftstars type competitions (and usually just the free ones) and leave the gambling to crypto and the stock market 😉
I find that I fluctuate on how I feel about betting (both the way the industry currently operates and the bigger philosophical view). On one hand they are offering a service and if people want to spend their money on it then the government should only regulate as much as to ensure there is no cheating and funny business. On the other hand, I have sat in the plush offices of a big sports betting company and talked to their data scientists. I have also seen the sad looking blokes in the local TAB. When I make this contrast it feels like it is an industry designed to take candy from babies (which is reinforced whenever they have the tv adverts with the average bloke thinking he is so smart for cashing out his multi or whatever the current promotion is).
I have felt similarly. After discovering betting exchanges like betfair I've come around to the thinking that betting markets are basically the same thing as mainstream financial markets or "prediction markets" as they are often referred. I think it's legit, and you could argue many financial markets are designed to strip the mugs too, but I think we just need some standards and ethics applied and then it's fair and all up to the individuals choices.