Andrew Yang, former Democratic presidential candidate, has criticized the expansion of legal sports betting, comparing it to lottery gambling's negative impact on lower-income Americans.

Yang, who supports some forms of gambling including online poker and NYC casinos, expressed particular concern about online sports betting's accessibility and its effect on viewers' experience.

Research supports Yang's concerns about gambling's disproportionate impact on lower-income individuals. The Economist found that the poorest 1% of Americans spend approximately $600 annually (5% of their income) on lottery tickets—30 times more than wealthier households as a percentage of income.

Key statistics highlight the scale of gambling in America:

• Americans spent over $100 billion on state lotteries last year
• Sports betting has generated $6.8 billion in state tax revenue since 2018
• During the pandemic, the poorest households increased lottery spending by $100, while the richest increased by just $10

Yang, who gained support from tech leaders like Elon Musk and Sam Altman during his 2020 presidential campaign, acknowledged his own sports betting experience while warning about its addictive potential: "It's incredibly easy to imagine people betting money that they can ill afford."

Despite his criticism of sports betting expansion, Yang maintains support for regulated gambling, including the development of full-scale casinos in New York City. His current odds for winning the 2028 presidential election stand at 125/1.

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