“Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.” – Proverbs 16:8
For the past two years ESPN, who already has had ties with sports betting, has been in negotiations with several major sports books looking into a wide-ranging sports betting deal. Up until this point, Walt Disney’s ESPN has navigated around actually taking bets.
With ESPN’s latest move, the massive sports network is diving headfirst into the sports betting world. ESPN has officially signed a ten-year deal with casino operator Penn Entertainment where the network will officially obtain licensing for sports betting.
For years now, Walt Disney has vigorously tried to cultivate and display a family-friendly image. However, this move by ESPN, along with other ones, to become directly involved in gambling is anything but pro-family.
For all the effort by Walt Disney to try to paint a family-friendly image, the enormous entertainment conglomerate needs to understand that this move to dive headfirst into sports betting is directly antithetical to being pro-family and leads to great harm for the family. The gambling industry preys on vulnerable people, and takes their money, which ultimately takes money from their families.
Also, there is no other way to put it, sports betting is and will continue to corrupt the sports that so many enjoy and are entertained by.
LET US PRAY…
Father, help our nation to wake up to the dangers that accompany the various forms of betting and gambling. Lord, reveal to Walt Disney that if it truly wants to be family-friendly then advancing sports betting is antithetical to that mission. Father, help Your people to realize that gambling is an unwise use of the resources that You have blessed us with. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
