In my youth it was fun speculating on upcoming films and TV with other movie nerds. But, it was merely just nerding out with others and the fun of going down rabbit holes. Fast forward to today and that idea was co-opted by people addicted to gambling.
I’m sure it’s already obvious where I stand on gambling. Not to say I’m against more traditional gambling in Vegas (but I still don’t find gambling fun), but placing bets on random things come off very problematic and addictive. And it’s weird and off-putting.
Even Hollywood isn’t safe from online gambling. Bets are placed on which actor will get a role in a film, a release date for a movie, the list goes on.
Can you see where it gets even more problematic?
It isn’t a card game. It isn’t a sports game. Casting, scheduling, everything involved in filmmaking is decided in advance before the news becomes public. And filmmaking is highly collaborative. Many people involved in a specific project will have information before the public knows. So what’s to stop people from betting on knowledge they already have? Or sliding that info to others to place bets? An already problematic thing is already easily gamed.
Some studios and productions are trying to fight back against it; one company going as far as providing an anonymous hotline for staffers to report on suspected bets. And of course, there are the legal ramifications for people caught.
I’m still very surprised that online betting is allowed, especially considering how easy it is to swindle people on it, and how people addicted to gambling have zero friction giving in to it when it’s so easy to online gamble. It’s predatory on so many levels. And it sucks out all the fun for people like me who sometimes enjoys the speculation.
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