Sports Betting’s Growing Role in Everyday Life
Gambling, especially sports betting, has intrusively become a facet of many everyday lives in the United States. Young adults are the most affected cohort. Research shows that 31% of young adults ages 18 through 29 have bet money in the last 12 months with friends or family.1 And 17% of adults over 30 years of age have wagered online in the past year, up from 7% three years ago.
Key Context: Research shows that 31% of young adults ages 18 through 29 have bet money in the last 12 months with friends or family.
Public Concern Over Legal Sports Betting
Americans are increasingly believing that this is a bad phenomenon. Of those surveyed, 43% said that the prevalence of legal sports betting is bad for society, and 50% said it was neither good nor bad. This left 7% in favor. As time goes on, society has become tuned to the negatives of prevalent and convenient gambling.
Public Sentiment: Of those surveyed, 43% said that the prevalence of legal sports betting is bad for society, and 50% said it was neither good nor bad. This left 7% in favor.
Brendan Sorsby’s Case Against the N.C.A.A.
Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby feels these negatives acutely. Sorsby began gambling in high school, where he partook in both physical and online parlors.2 He took this habit to college, where he would bet for his own team while as a freshman at Indiana University. Revealing this information must have been difficult for Sorsby, but it also puts him in trouble with governing authorities. The N.C.A.A. rules state that betting on one’s own team is punishable by permanent ineligibility. The N.C.A.A. denied Sorsby’s reinstatement request on May 26, 2026.
What an Injunction Could Mean
Sorsby decided to sue the N.C.A.A. in Texas state court, seeking an injunction against the organization. When a court issues an injunction, it prevents the enjoined party (here, the N.C.A.A.) from conducting certain actions. The court has the power to prohibit the N.C.A.A. from placing Sorsby on permanent ineligibility status on account of his gambling at Indiana.
Legal Issue: The court has the power to prohibit the N.C.A.A. from placing Sorsby on permanent ineligibility status on account of his gambling at Indiana.
More to Follow
A hearing was held on June 1, 2026. The judge did not come to an immediate decision. More to follow.
Sources:
1 John Gramlich, Americans increasingly see legal sports betting as a bad thing for society and sports, Pew Research Center (October 2, 2025). Accessed on June 1, 2026.
2 Justin Williams, ‘Truly Addicted to Gambling’: Disclosures in Player’s Suit Against N.C.A.A., The New York Times (May 24, 2026).
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