Brian From talks with Emily Washburn, issues analyst and writer at Focus on the Family's Daily Citizen, about the rapid growth of sports gambling. Emily explains how the 2018 Supreme Court decision letting states legalize sports betting, followed by online and mobile betting, created an industry that profits when its customers lose. She describes micro-betting, round-the-clock wagering, targeted advertising aimed at problem gamblers, and prediction markets like Kalshi marketed as investing. She also explains why young men, whose impulse control is still developing, are especially vulnerable. Emily calls gambling a moral issue because of its downstream harms: high rates of suicidal thoughts, links to domestic and child abuse, and measurable drops in credit scores and rises in bankruptcy where online betting has been legalized. She urges churches to treat it as a discipleship issue.

<p>Brian From talks with Emily Washburn, issues analyst and writer at Focus on the Family's Daily Citizen, about the rapid growth of sports gambling. Emily explains how the 2018 Supreme Court decision letting states legalize sports betting, followed by online and mobile betting, created an industry that profits when its customers lose. She describes micro-betting, round-the-clock wagering, targeted advertising aimed at problem gamblers, and prediction markets like Kalshi marketed as investing. She also explains why young men, whose impulse control is still developing, are especially vulnerable. Emily calls gambling a moral issue because of its downstream harms: high rates of suicidal thoughts, links to domestic and child abuse, and measurable drops in credit scores and rises in bankruptcy where online betting has been legalized. She urges churches to treat it as a discipleship issue.</p>

The idea of “the common good” has a rich history within the Christian church. It’s the notion that, as we pursue Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others, we are fulfilling God’s purposes for His creation. This pursuit can be messy. It means rolling up our sleeves and creating space for hard conversations about real issues that impact our lives. Things like parenting, marriage, finances, politics, art, and culture. On The Common Good, Brian From creates space to have these conversations, to sit with the big questions that we all have, to sometimes disagree, but to always look for the chance to create common good, by following after Jesus. Brian welcome listeners to join them in these conversations, to bring their own questions, hopes, and struggles, and to ultimately share in a journey to see God’s design for all of us fulfilled.

<p>The idea of &ldquo;the common good&rdquo; has a rich history within the Christian church. It&rsquo;s the notion that, as we pursue Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others, we are fulfilling God&rsquo;s purposes for His creation. This pursuit can be messy. It means rolling up our sleeves and creating space for hard conversations about real issues that impact our lives. Things like parenting, marriage, finances, politics, art, and culture. On The Common Good, Brian From creates space to have these conversations, to sit with the big questions that we all have, to sometimes disagree, but to always look for the chance to create common good, by following after Jesus. Brian welcome listeners to join them in these conversations, to bring their own questions, hopes, and struggles, and to ultimately share in a journey to see God&rsquo;s design for all of us fulfilled.</p>