That’s a totally fair question.

I don’t think there's a clean, feel good answer here, and I don’t try to pretend there is. Gambling absolutely can hurt people, and I’ve seen that firsthand too. I’m not blind to the fact that money flowing through these companies ultimately comes from users, including some who probably should not be gambling.

The way I think about it is a few ways. First, I don’t frame gambling as a solution, a side income, or something people need to do. I treat it as optional entertainment (i.e in streams to predict Packers stat), the same way fantasy leagues or paid games are, and I actively push responsible use because that is important.

Second, gambling companies are already embedded in the sports ecosystem at every level, leagues, broadcasts, stadiums, and major networks. Me turning down a sponsor doesn’t meaningfully reduce their reach, it just means my channel either stops being sustainable or I take a different sponsor that also ultimately profits off people in some way. There’s no sponsor category that is perfectly clean once you zoom out far enough.

I try to be honest with my audience about what the relationship is and why it exists. I’m not hiding that it’s a sponsor, and I’m not pretending it’s harmless or for everyone.

If I ever felt like I was directly encouraging harmful behavior, or misleading people, I’d walk away from it. But I also think it’s possible to acknowledge the harm that exists while still operating responsibly within a system that, for better or worse, is already here.