Sports Betting Boom Raises Integrity Concerns

University of Cincinnati professor warns of risks as legalized gambling spreads across the US

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The rise of legalized sports betting in the US has dramatically changed how fans engage with and follow sports, according to Mike Fry, a professor at the University of Cincinnati's Lindner College of Business. Fry says the proliferation of sports gambling apps has made it easy for people to wager on granular player and game details, raising concerns about the integrity of the games as those with inside knowledge can now influence specific bet outcomes.

Why it matters

The rapid expansion of legalized sports betting across the US has transformed the fan experience, driving interest away from just rooting for a favorite team to closely following individual player statistics and game details that can be wagered on. This shift raises integrity concerns as those with access to non-public information, including players and team personnel, could potentially influence the outcomes of highly specific bets.

The details

Sports fans can now easily place proposition bets, or 'prop bets,' on individual player statistics and game details through mobile apps, which Fry says has changed how people follow and engage with sports. He warns that as these bets become more granular, it becomes easier for those involved in the games to influence the outcomes of those wagers, posing a threat to the integrity of the sports themselves.

  • The federal ban on sports betting was lifted in 2018, leading to a rapid expansion of legalized gambling across the US.

The players

Mike Fry

Professor of operations, business analytics and information systems at the University of Cincinnati's Lindner College of Business.

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What they’re saying

“It totally changed how fans follow games. It drove interest from watching 'your team' to watching dozens of players from dozens of games. You can really make any game interesting — it's very much about the individual.”

— Mike Fry, Professor (The Journal-News)

“As prop bets become more and more specific, it's easier for people even peripherally involved in the game to influence the outcome of these bets. And it's becoming a bigger and bigger problem.”

— Mike Fry, Professor (The Journal-News)

What’s next

Fry says regulators and sports leagues will need to work together to address the integrity risks posed by the rapid growth of legalized sports betting, including potentially restricting certain types of proposition bets.

The takeaway

The explosion of legalized sports betting has fundamentally changed how fans engage with and follow sports, raising concerns about the integrity of the games themselves as those with inside knowledge can now influence the outcomes of highly specific bets.