Super Bowl Sunday 2025: The Game, The Spectacle, and the Shadow of Mass Gambling

Today is Super Bowl Sunday in America, a day that has become as much about culture as it is about sports. Every February, millions of Americans gather to watch the biggest game of the year: American football. Unlike the football known in Ghana and the rest of the world, which Americans call soccer, this version of the game is more hands-on, relying less on the feet and more on brute force. It’s a game of strategy, strength, and, unfortunately, high-impact collisions.  

The physical toll on players is undeniable. Head injuries, concussions, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) are well-documented issues in the sport. The collisions are relentless, and while fans cheer for their teams, there’s an underlying reality that many of these players will suffer long-term neurological consequences.  

Yet, beyond the game itself, the biggest spectacle is often the halftime performance. The artist chosen for this coveted moment receives the undivided attention of an entire nation and beyond. For many musicians, performing at the Super Bowl halftime show is a career-defining achievement, a moment of peak global visibility and prestige.  

But the true elephant in the room, the one that inspired this piece, is sports gambling. Over the years, gambling has crept into America’s collective consciousness, growing at an astonishing rate. This year, legal betting on the Super Bowl alone is expected to exceed $1.4 billion. That’s just the money tracked by regulators, what about the underground gambling operations, the wagers made outside the legal system?  

Gambling is not just a game of chance; it’s a dangerous addiction. The losses are staggering, over $240 billion disappears annually in America due to gambling addiction. Yes, it’s an addiction, as real and destructive as any drug. Think of Las Vegas, the gambling mecca of the U.S., or Macau, the world’s leading gambling hub. Some believe that America is fast becoming the global capital of gambling, a place where fortunes are lost in an instant and where some people never recover.  

President Donald Trump is expected to make an appearance at the game, adding another layer of spectacle to an already eventful night. He will be the first sitting U.S. president to have attended the game. The man makes history anytime he breathes-not exaggerating. You know what Raph Nader thinks about the man, a failed Gambling Czar. There are a lot of brilliant things about Raph Nader. Try to check out some of his works. Regardless of political affiliations, Trump's presence at the game is bound to generate headlines and more talks for a while. 

As you enjoy the game with friends and family, I urge you to keep gambling at a safe distance. It has the power to destroy lives, and anything that has the potential to kill should be relegated to the back bench, permanently.  

I remain your concerned friend,  

Ronnie Law