BAD BET: How Online Gambling Is Destroying America exposes one of the fastest-growing and most overlooked addiction crises in the United States.
What was once limited to casinos and racetracks is now available 24 hours a day on smartphones, tablets, and computers. With the rapid expansion of legalized online sports betting, millions of Americans-particularly young men-are being drawn into a system designed to keep them playing, often at devastating personal cost.
In this powerful and eye-opening book, Jack Alan Levine, a recovering gambling addict, joins veteran journalist John Rabe to examine the rise of online gambling from two distinct but complementary perspectives. Levine offers a deeply personal account of addiction, revealing how gambling can take hold, escalate, and ultimately disrupt every aspect of a person's life. Rabe provides a broader lens, exploring how professional sports, media, and technology have fueled the normalization and growth of betting across American culture.
Together, they uncover the mechanics behind the industry's rapid expansion, the psychological pull of constant access and in-game wagering, and the real-world consequences affecting individuals, families, and communities nationwide.
BAD BET is both a warning and a call to awareness. It challenges readers to look beyond the surface of entertainment and recognize the risks associated with a system where the odds are always in favor of the house. For anyone seeking to better understand the impact of online gambling-or to recognize its warning signs before it's too late-this book offers insight, perspective, and a closer look at a crisis that is only beginning to unfold.
Levine, Jack Alan: - Jack Alan Levine is a recovering gambling addict and author whose life was deeply impacted by the destructive power of addiction. After years of personal struggle, he found recovery and has dedicated his voice to raising awareness about the dangers of modern gambling-especially the rapid rise of online betting.Drawing from firsthand experience, Levine provides an unfiltered look into how gambling addiction develops, how it takes hold, and how it can devastate individuals and families. His work is driven by a mission to educate, warn, and help others avoid the same path.
Rabe, John: - John Rabe has, over the past three decades, made a career in newspaper journalism, sports radio hosting and television production. He has authored several books, including The War on Truth.John is a seasoned Christian media professional, content director, and on-air host with more than two decades of experience in broadcast, radio, and digital ministry. Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he currently serves as a freelance Christian media content director and host, where he continues to create compelling faith-based programming designed to inform, inspire, and engage audiences across multiple platforms. Earlier in his career, Rabe built a strong foundation in broadcasting through sports media. Prior to that, he served as a producer and co-host for SportsFan Radio Network, where he helped deliver daily and weekend sports programming syndicated to hundreds of radio stations nationwide. Throughout his career, John Rabe has demonstrated a unique ability to bridge media excellence with meaningful Christian content, making him a respected voice in both faith-based broadcasting and communications.
