Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (U.S.).

Sports betting is everywhere — and for athletes, teams, and clinicians, the mental health implications are only just beginning to surface.

In this episode of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, Dr. Mark Allen and Dr. Tommy Horn sit down with Dr. Timothy Fong, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA, co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program, and one of the nation’s leading experts in addiction psychiatry and gambling disorder. Dr. Fong also serves as the team psychiatrist for the Los Angeles Lakers, offering a unique perspective on how gambling intersects with elite performance, integrity, and athlete well-being.

Together, they explore:

• Why sports betting expanded so rapidly after 2018 and how increased access changes behavior

• Why gambling disorder is more common than many realize — and often mistaken for a “money problem”

• The three ways gambling impacts athletes: addiction, integrity, and online abuse

• How prop bets can dehumanize athletes and increase harassment tied to performance

• Why young athletes are particularly vulnerable in a culture where gambling is normalized

• What effective treatment for gambling disorder looks like, including why you don’t have to hit “rock bottom” to seek help

• How language matters: the difference between “losing” money and “spending” money

This episode is not about banning gambling. It’s about education, prevention, and protecting athletes in a rapidly changing sports landscape.

Resources mentioned in this episode:• 1-800-GAMBLER (24/7 support)• e-VIVE gambling education app• UCLA Gambling Studies Program

If this conversation resonates with you — whether you’re an athlete, coach, clinician, or parent — consider sharing it with someone who might benefit.

Presented By:

Peak Sports Psychiatry and 43 Degree Sports — celebrating the athletes, mindset, and stories that move sports forward.