How sports gambling became ubiquitous

Since American states started to legalise sports betting in 2018, the industry’s explosive growth and omnipresent advertisements have drawn widespread attention. But although America was one of the last big economies to allow legal wagering, similar trends are evident elsewhere. In most markets around the world, online betting, mostly on sports, is replacing traditional “land-based” forms of gambling, of which sports are a small component. As a consequence, what was once a niche pastime is entering the global mainstream.