Street League Skateboarding has come under fire for introducing gambling elements into its events.
UPDATE: Geoff Rowley Clarifies Stance & Said “I Am Not Against Gambling Nor SLS Doing That”
The elite skateboarding event's incorporation of prop bets and other forms of gambling has raised concerns from the skateboarding community.
SLS recently posted a video of Branden Hoban performing a gnarly impossible gap with a caption that suggested viewers could have won big if they had bet on him.
SLS posted, "You could’ve won big, or maybe you did? @bradenhoban beat the odds ✔️"
The event plans to introduce skater propositional bets, or "prop bets," allowing fans to bet on various aspects of skateboarding events, such as the number of perfect 9 club scores a skater achieves during a competition.
Skateboarding legend Geoff Rowley strongly disapproves of SLS's move into gambling territory. His stance reflects broader concerns within the skateboarding community about maintaining the sport's integrity and avoiding associations with gambling.
According to Gambler's help, gambling has the potential to lead to various negative impacts on mental health, such as low self-esteem, heightened stress, anxiety, and even depression, especially when it escalates into a problematic behavior.
Similar to substance addictions like drugs or alcohol, compulsive gambling can develop when it's used excessively or when an individual feels a loss of control over their gambling habits.
This behavior can influence the brain's dopamine release, contributing to addictive patterns and further exacerbating these mental health challenges.
The skateboarding community has disapproved of SLS's incorporation of gambling. While some see it as a potential source of revenue and excitement, others worry about the negative impact it could have on the youth and the future of skateboarding.