The Impact of Legalized Sports Betting on Marriages and Divorce

by Jennifer Hargrave - Dallas Divorce Attorney | Jan 21, 2025

Sports Betting and Divorce

Is Sports Betting Causing Divorces?

Summary:

In this radio segment, Jennifer Hargrave, founder of Hargrave Family Law in Dallas, discusses the effects of legalized sports betting on marriages and divorces. While the 2018 Supreme Court decision to legalize sports gambling nationwide hasn’t caused a dramatic increase in gambling-related divorces, it has made gambling more accessible, exacerbating existing marital issues. Hargrave explains that gambling often acts as a symptom of deeper relationship problems, such as lack of communication and betrayal. She highlights the emotional and financial consequences, comparing them to issues like hidden credit card debt or infidelity. Hargrave also explores solutions such as mediation, which can offer privacy and flexibility in resolving disputes, and the concept of a “waste of assets” claim, applicable in cases of reckless spending on gambling or other destructive behaviors.

Transcript

Gordon Deal:
In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down a decades-old federal law against sports betting, ushering in a flood of betting platforms and apps that are now legal in most states and advertised heavily nationwide, and that has put a strain on some marriages. More now from Jennifer Hargrave. She is the founder of Hargrave Family Law in Dallas, and we’re talking about legalized sports betting and its potential impact on divorce.

All right, so we got this famous case in 2018 with the Supreme Court essentially legalizing sports gambling. Have you seen like an increase in divorce issues since then?

Jennifer Hargrave:
I’m trying to think of like— I mean, yes, we’ve definitely seen more cases where gambling is sort of at the heart of the problems. So, pre-2018 there were still cases, you know? I mean, when you discover that your spouse has gambled away what you thought was your savings for your daughter’s wedding or for college, and that money is no longer there, it can be a huge, devastating blow to the family.

So, you know, have I seen a dramatic uptick since 2018? I wouldn’t say that. I think it’s pretty consistent, but it is a huge issue that does divide a lot of families.

Gordon Deal:
Is it generally the issue, or were there things happening before then, and the sports gambling became the straw that broke the camel’s back?

Jennifer Hargrave:
Right. You know, I mean, I think divorce usually comes about because of a host of symptoms that are indicative of an underlying problem in the relationship. So, you know, if somebody’s sneaking off and gambling, if they didn’t have gambling to do, they’d be sneaking off and doing something else, spending money other ways, probably.

So, you know, I think legalizing gambling has certainly made gambling easier and more accessible, and so we see more people struggling with it. Would they be struggling with something else? Maybe, I don’t know, but, you know, it does. It does come up, for sure.

Gordon Deal:
Yeah, I may have to introduce a psychiatrist into this conversation, right? Is it always about the money here? Is it kind of about priorities?

Jennifer Hargrave:
I think the thing that I see in my clients who discover that this has happened is just a deep, deep sense of betrayal, like, you know, an infidelity at a level that is devastating not only to the relationship, but to the financial future of the family. So the consequences are very, very severe.

And I think that’s the hard thing. You know, if somebody were going to take rehabilitative steps and go into some kind of gambling problem camp, which is, you know, addiction-related, you know, there may be hope for the family. So I would certainly, you know, want to get other professionals involved to help with that.

But if it’s just the behavior of sneaking around, you know, it’s similar to if you discover your spouse has a lot of credit card debt, or your spouse has been spending money on ways that you didn’t know about. It’s just that deep sense of betrayal. And really, the underlying problem there, right, is that they’re not communicating about these things. They’re not in agreement. There’s sneaky behavior going on because they can’t communicate. And that’s, that’s what we see.

Gordon Deal:
We’re speaking with Attorney Jennifer Hargrave, founder of Hargrave Family Law. She’s based in Dallas, and we’re talking about the impact of legalized sports betting on divorces. Generally speaking, she says it’s not necessarily a thing—if there’s maybe been a slight uptick. What about mediation? Does it work in these situations?

Jennifer Hargrave:
Mediation can be incredibly helpful. The thing I love about mediation is that we can get a lot more creative when it comes to dividing assets. You know, I think it’s important—in Texas and other states with similar rules—you know, there is such a thing as a waste of assets claim.

So, if somebody has just made really poor decisions and engaged in high-risk activity, that can form the basis of it. So we can, you know, theoretically, reconstitute the estate, but we can have a lot of those conversations in mediation. And the great thing about mediation is that it’s private, so all these details are not being aired in public, and so for a lot of families, it’s a great choice.

Gordon Deal:
Explain that more—the waste of assets claim? How many things might that apply to?

Jennifer Hargrave:
So, a waste of assets claim will generally apply if you’ve had a paramour, you’ve been spending your money on trips and lavish gifts and things like that, and then also gambling or, you know, drugs and alcohol. Like, if there’s addictions going on there, and you’ve been spending a lot of money on unhealthy activities, that is something that can also form the basis of a wasted asset.

Compassionate Dallas Divorce Attorney, Jennifer Hargrave

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Hargrave Family Law was founded by Dallas divorce lawyer Jennifer Hargrave with a strong mission in mind. Using non-adversarial techniques, our firm advocates for you during this challenging life transition in a way that helps you protect what matters most. Reach out to our team of compassionate Dallas divorce lawyers at Hargrave Family Law for the support you need to navigate divorce and other family law matters. We offer a complimentary case evaluation to start your journey with us. Together, we will work towards safeguarding the happiness and well-being of your family, allowing you to write your next chapter with hope.