Webinar Examines ‘Gamblification’ of U.S. Digital Life

On June 18 the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM) hosted a webinar titled “The Gamblification of Everything.” The session brought together AIBM director David Sasaki, moderator German Lopez, Fanatics CEO Matt King, Gen Z economic commentator Kyla Scanlon and AIBM sports betting policy lead Jonathan Cohen to discuss how gambling-like features have moved into new digital products.

The panel mapped a shift from traditional sportsbooks to prediction markets, gamified investment platforms, game mechanics and commerce and social apps that seek users’ attention and money. Speakers described how design choices, marketing and platform reach have changed who encounters wagering-style products and when.

Cohen traced part of the expansion to the 2018 repeal of PASPA and to broader developments in digital financial technology. He argued the current environment has allowed more entry points for wagering and more overlap between entertainment and speculative trading.

King said gambling behavior has existed in non-digital forms for centuries but that the digital transition has increased access and made offshore or illicit operations harder to control. He described Fanatics’ approach to its prediction product, noting the company applied its responsible-gambling tools and set a 21-plus age threshold for that offering.

Scanlon linked rising participation to economic pressures, social media and marketing. She described two user profiles: people who treat wagering as a way to earn or supplement income after job loss, and people who, because of financial stress, avoid traditional risk but still engage with short-term speculative products.

Panelists flagged prediction markets as a fast-growing, lightly regulated area. Cohen said some platforms have effectively opened access to gambling-style trading for users aged 18 and older and warned early exposure can increase long-term harms. Scanning industry data, he cited a March AIBM poll that found 41% of prediction market users named making money as their primary reason for trading.

King countered with internal Fanatics data showing a small share of customers treating sports betting as income. He also emphasized regulatory differences between investment products, which carry disclosures and restrictions, and entertainment-driven trading. He called for clearer separation between long-term investing and short-term, game-like trading.

On marketing, Scanlon criticized messaging she described as predatory. Panelists discussed possible policy responses, including broader legal definitions of gambling and speculation to extend consumer protections and baseline safeguards that interrupt harmful engagement loops. King pointed out that regulated sports betting and iGaming apps often include forced breaks or logout prompts and suggested similar measures could apply more widely.

Panelists expressed differing views on the scope of regulation but concurred that consumer protections should be considered as gambling-style mechanics spread across apps and platforms, with particular concern for younger users and people facing economic hardship.