Smartphone Gambling is a Disaster
Author: ” by Jonathan D. Cohen and Isaac Rose‑Berman
Jul 23, 2025
The Substack article “Smartphone Gambling is a Disaster” by Jonathan D. Cohen and Isaac Rose‑Berman—prefaced by Jon Haidt—warns that mobile gambling represents a uniquely dangerous evolution of a human impulse: unlike traditional gambling, today’s smartphone apps offer frictionless, 24/7 access, addictive design, and constant targeted advertising. With legal online sports betting and casino apps now available in most U.S. states, these platforms exploit users (especially young men and teenagers), fueling gambling addiction, financial ruin, and mental health issues. The authors argue that this unchecked expansion has gone too far: what once required a trip to a casino can now be done from your pocket, any time. They call for urgent reforms—banning online casino games, restricting ads, safeguarding youth, and educating families and policymakers—to protect the most vulnerable from the devastating effects of digital gambling.
