Catholic in America
Identity politics and tribal thinking has become America's dominant paradigm. Why has the respect for genuine civic friendship and the common good waned? What are the set of moral and spiritual principles needed to reclaim or reimagine what has been lost? How do we use them to make right judgments about our world and to move forward with clarity and joy? The answer is at the heart of the Catholic faith and its social doctrine: rediscovering our common identity as children of the Father, the One who created us for love. Join Jason Adkins, host of Catholic in America, to engage our own time, culture, and political milieu with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to explore how to live more fully Catholic.
Catholic in America
Championing Change: Les Bernal's Fight Against Predatory Gambling
This episode discusses the rise of legalized sports gambling in the U.S. following the 2018 Supreme Court decision, and why Catholics should be concerned about it. The Catholic Church's opposition to sports gambling is explained with emphasis on its potential to drive poverty, fragment families, and fuel addiction and domestic violence. The episode features Les Bernal, National Director of Stop Predatory Gambling, who talks about the broader issue of commercialized gambling and its exploitation by state governments in partnership with powerful gambling corporations. Bernal's extensive work in advocating against predatory gambling practices and his numerous media appearances are highlighted, along with his key arguments on why sports gambling is particularly harmful.
Show Links:
- Stop Predatory Gambling: https://www.stoppredatorygambling.org/
- Study of 700,000 online gamblers: https://www.stoppredatorygambling.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2024-Online-Gambling-Policy-Effects-on-Tax-Revenue-and-Irresponsible-Gambling.pdf
- Background on the legal landscape of sports betting: https://newrepublic.com/article/189263/online-sports-betting-alito-losses
- Making the case for why legalizing sports betting is a mistake: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/legalizing-sports-gambling-was-a-huge-mistake/ar-AA1r2DLq
- Impact of sports betting on young men: https://www.newsweek.com/2023/04/07/sports-betting-boom-linked-rising-gambling-addiction-anxiety-suicide-1789055.html
Catholic in America is a podcast collaboration between OSVNews.com and OSVPodcasts.com. Jason Adkins, host of Catholic in America, engages our own time, culture, and political milieu with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to explore how to live more fully Catholic. With so much to explore, we have guests from a variety of perspectives and faith backgrounds, and conversations do not necessarily constitute endorsements. Welcome to Catholic in America.
