New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Polymarket lawsuit spotlights betting boom targeting Black communities
TheGrio...
As New York sues Polymarket, research points to the toll betting apps are taking on Black communities, especially young Black men.
From TV to YouTube, to podcasts and even TikTok, ads for sports betting platforms like Kalshi, Polymarket, FanDuel and DraftKings have been appearing everywhere. So much so that the betting ads expanded to betting on reality shows like “Love Island USA” over the summer. And while these brands have boasted about how quick and easy they are for users, researchers are finding issues with the impact these platforms can have on communities.
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Most recently, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Polymark after an investigation found that the platform’s prediction market was an illegal, unlicensed gambling operation that exposes New Yorkers – including those under the legal gambling age of 21 – to serious personal and financial risk. The Attorney General’s lawsuit claims that Polymarket’s prediction market can be qualified as gambling because the outcomes of the events on which its users are betting are uncertain and outside the control of the bettor or hinge on a game of chance.
“Our gambling laws exist to protect New Yorkers, prevent the potential harms of problem gambling, and ensure funding for educational and public benefit programs,” Attorney General James said in a press release shared with theGrio. “By skirting New York’s laws, Polymarket is targeting the most vulnerable and depriving New York families of critical services and support. My office will never hesitate to take action to defend our laws and keep New Yorkers safe.”
In addition to Polymarket’s alleged failure to obtain a license from the New York State Gaming Commission, thus forfeiting its tax payment requirements, the lawsuit also revealed that the company’s prediction market was available to users between the ages of 18 and 20, despite the state’s law requiring users to be 21+ to participate in mobile sports betting. Addressing the early exposure, James underlined the impact gambling can have on people’s mental health and financial well-being. Recent studies from the National Institute of Health and the American Psychological Association found that early exposure to gambling increases the likelihood of depression, anxiety, mood swings, financial stress, and, in some cases, suicide ideation.
However, there is a history of Black communities being disproportionately impacted by gambling. According to a 2025 Pew poll found that Black adults (30%) are more likely to bet on sports than their white counterparts (19%). And that’s not surprising when you look at the number of Black celebrities who have publicly endorsed these sports betting platforms, including Kevin Hart, Megan Thee Stallion, Shaquille O’Neal, Lisa Leslie, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Jamie Foxx, and more. Sports betting has even found its way into rap music with rappers like Drake mentioning Polymarket in songs like “Shabang.”
Since the Supreme Court t overturned a longstanding federal law banning state-authorized sports betting, the number of legal sportsbooks increased exponentially, thus laying the groundwork for online sportsbook platforms which have since grown in popularity. Experts say that 94% of modern-day sports betting takes place online, with users needing nothing more than a smartphone, internet connection, and a couple of dollars.
“Sports betting has become deeply embedded in our culture,” medical student Matthew Allen told UC San Diego. “From relentless advertising to social media feeds and in-game commentary, sportsbooks are now everywhere. What was once a taboo activity, confined to the fringes of society, has been completely normalized.”
And unfortunately, studies have shown that Black communities bear a “disproportionate share of gambling’s social and economic costs, including debt, family conflict, and co‑occurring mental health issues.” And with the gamification and mass advertising of sports betting platforms online, Black men, particularly young Black men, continue to be the primary targets. A 2021 study of rural African American adolescents found that youth who gambled showed substantial levels of gambling-related problems, with risk patterns similar to or more severe than those reported in studies observing predominantly white people.
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So while James is seeking a court order to stop Polymarket from operating as an unlicensed gambling business in New York state and require the company to pay fines, forfeit all illegal gains, and pay restitution to users, elements of her lawsuit spotlight a larger call to action about how platforms like it have an impact on our communities.