Sports betting is everywhere. But what has the rapid expansion of legalized gambling actually cost us?

In this episode, journalist Danny Funt joins to discuss his book Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling. Together, we explore how America’s sports betting boom has reshaped sports culture, media coverage, public health, and consumer protections. Danny shares insights from interviews with people who struggle with gambling, industry executives, researchers, and regulators. The conversation goes beyond financial losses and examines:

• The erosion of sports integrity
• VIP betting programs and emotional entanglement strategies
• Misleading “risk-free” advertising
• Weak consumer protections
• Conflicts of interest between leagues and betting monitors
• The normalization of gambling in sports media
• Why meaningful regulation may require crisis-level consequences

We discuss how gambling problems affect high-functioning, disciplined individuals — challenging common stereotypes and humanizing the issue. This episode asks a hard question: If sports betting continues to expand without stronger safeguards… who really wins?

About the Guest:

Danny Funt is the author of Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling. His reporting has appeared in The Washington Post, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and the Columbia Journalism Review. He previously worked as an editor at The Week magazine. A graduate of Georgetown University and the Columbia Journalism School, he lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife, Sally, their son, Louis, and their tuxedo cat, Wynnie.

Links:

• Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Everybody-Loses/Danny-Funt/9781668062029
• E-mail: dannyfunt1@gmail.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-funt-2695b4a3/

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail talkingaddictionandrecovery@gmail.com

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

Dr. Nicki Monti, therapist, speaker, and author of the memoir The Divine Traumedy of Nicky Joy: A True Grime Tale is an artist when it comes to how she speaks and writes about her story. Dr. Nicki shares her powerful and unconventional journey from addiction to sobriety and how humor became a lifeline in her recovery. From pursuing acting in California to running a phone sex business, and ultimately becoming a licensed therapist, Dr. Nicki’s story challenges stereotypes about what recovery “should” look like. The conversation explores addiction, pain, and personal responsibility, as well as the often-overlooked emotional toll of caregiving. This episode balances honesty, hope, and humor—reminding listeners that healing doesn’t require perfection, just willingness.

About the Guest:

Dr. Nicki J. Monti is not your typical therapist. Dr. Nicki instantly gets to the core of presented issues, and immediately provides a clear path for genuine change. Her no-nonsense approach combines with extraordinary compassion and good humor to offer a clear, authoritative voice free of judgment and full of possibility. She quickly brings forward what others have somehow missed and then offers practical tools for truly productive resolution. She is not only a great listener but she makes you feel safe, comfortable and open to what she has to say—she uses wit and her own experiences to reveal what’s undermining you, and to get you beyond being ‘stuck in your own story.’ Joining Dr. Nicki in a seminar, session or event, you will see first-hand her genuine care, humor and intelligence. Through her insightful advice and encouragement, she assists your most positive emotional and life changes. Dr. Nicki’s successful book series about being Stuck In The Story No More, her Television appearances, her articles, and podcasts have made her into a household name. Dr. Nicki has been seen on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Millionaire Matchmaker, Love Handles and many other Reality Television shows where her compassion, honesty and genuine expertise shine an instant light on circumstances and offer actual change.

Links:

Website: https://stucknomore.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-Nicki-J-Monti/179364015418429

X: https://twitter.com/DrNicki

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NickiMonti

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnickimonti/

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail talkingaddictionandrecovery@gmail.com

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

What is it like to be in the shoes of a wife and mother who is drunk? Emily Redondo, Texas-based author with Minnesota roots and writer of the memoir Wife, Mother, Drunk shares her vulnerability about her experiences. Emily shares her personal journey through alcoholism, recovery, and the challenges she faced as a mother navigating stigma and expectations. Explore the impact of addiction on families, the barriers mothers face in seeking help, and the importance of compassion in treatment and recovery spaces. Emily speaks openly about return to alcohol use, shame, self-acceptance, and why recovery is never a straight line. Learn about the value of empathy, meeting people where they are, and creating safe, judgment-free spaces for those struggling with substance use. A powerful conversation for anyone interested in addiction, motherhood, recovery, and the courage it takes to tell your story.

About the Guest:

Emily Redondo is a writer, bookworm, and proud mother of four whose articles on recovery and motherhood have been featured in Love What Matters, Genius Recovery, and Legacy Launchpad. Her interests include gardening, camping, collecting antique curiosities, and tinkering with her latest diy project in her workshop. She lives with her husband, Pete, and their lively household in McKinney, Texas.

Links:

https://www.emilyredondoauthor.com/

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail talkingaddictionandrecovery@gmail.com

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.