Gambling looks different than it used to. It is increasingly woven into sports, entertainment, gaming, technology, and everyday life.

So, what happens before the bet?

Nicasa Behavioral Health Services’ (Nicasa) new podcast, Before the Bet, explores the technology, trends, psychology, and industry forces shaping modern gambling. Hosted by Elizabeth Thielen, Senior Director of Gambling Services at Nicasa, the podcast brings together experts, advocates, and other voices to look at how the gambling landscape is changing.

Listen to the Trailer

Before the Bet will explore topics such as sports betting, gambling advertising and marketing, the psychology of gambling, emerging technology, and the ways changes in gambling can affect individuals and communities.

The goal isn’t to provide a single answer to every question. Instead, Before the Bet creates space for honest conversations, different perspectives, and a closer look at the forces shaping how we encounter gambling today.

The first full episode is coming soon. Listen to the trailer and follow Before the Bet wherever you get your podcasts.

This podcast is supported through funding in whole or in part by a grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery.

Transcript

Elizabeth: [00:00:00] In case you haven’t noticed, gambling looks a lot different now than it used to. With 24/7 online access, we can be gambling at any time, anywhere. You could be at work and gambling, be cooking our dinner and gambling, driving and gambling, pushing your kid on the swings and gambling, working out and gambling, using the restroom, and gambling.-

Gambling has changed and so has the way we encounter it. Today, gambling can be in the palm of our hands, integrated into sports and entertainment, delivered through mobile apps, and shaped by technology, advertising, and an ever-changing industry. But what happens before the bet?

Welcome to Before the Bet, a new podcast exploring the technology, trends, psychology, and industry forces [00:01:00] shaping modern gambling. I’m your host, Elizabeth Thielen, Senior Director of Gambling Services at Nicasa Behavioral Health Services. In each episode, we’ll take a closer look at the forces shaping the gambling landscape.

We’ll talk about sports betting, mobile gambling, gaming, advertising, emerging technologies, the psychology behind gambling, and the ways these changes are affecting consumers and communities, and we won’t be doing it alone. Through honest conversations with experts, advocates, and industry voices, we’ll ask questions, challenge assumptions, and explore different perspectives to better understand the risks, realities, and decisions surrounding modern gambling.

Because understanding gambling means looking at more than what happens when the bet is placed. It means understanding what happens before the bet. Follow Before the Bet wherever you get your podcasts, and join us for our first episode.