Publication: NBC Palm Springs Date: July 15, 2026 Format: News Segment (On-Camera Interview)
With the FIFA World Cup generating billions of dollars in betting activity, NBC Palm Springs aired a segment examining how the constant accessibility of sports betting is fueling a rise in gambling addiction. Betting apps have turned every phone into a 24-hour sportsbook, and specialists interviewed for the segment warn that gambling addiction can affect anyone, including younger people who may never set foot in a casino.
Jessica Steinman, LMFT, Chief Clinical Officer at No Matter What Recovery, was interviewed on camera for the segment, offering clinical insight into why sports betting is uniquely difficult to walk away from and how loved ones can support someone in recovery.
NMWR Expert Contribution
As Chief Clinical Officer, Jessica Steinman leads the clinical teams at No Matter What Recovery in Los Angeles, where treatment addresses the full picture of addiction, including the mental health conditions that so often accompany it.
In the segment, Steinman explains that sports betting carries a unique risk compared to other forms of gambling. Because it is woven into watching games and following teams, the trigger is not a place someone can avoid. It is the sport itself.
“Sports betting can be particularly triggering because it is closely tied to watching games and following teams,” Steinman told NBC Palm Springs.
Her guidance for families and friends is practical: be mindful around major sporting events, and avoid bringing up scores, odds, or bets with someone who is struggling with gambling. During events like the World Cup, when betting conversation is everywhere, that awareness from loved ones can make a real difference.
Key Points
Accessibility is the accelerant. Gambling addiction is no longer confined to casinos or lottery tickets. Online betting and sports wagering have become increasingly common forms of the addiction, and the segment highlights how having a sportsbook in your pocket removes the natural barriers that once slowed compulsive gambling down.
The brain science makes it harder to quit. Experts in the segment note that gambling addiction activates two different reward systems in the brain, which can make recovery more challenging than many other addictions. That neurological pull mirrors what people experience with substance addiction: the behavior stops being about the outcome and starts being about the feeling.
It is about escape, not just money. Jade Maldonado, who previously struggled with casino gambling addiction, shared in the segment that the pull was never only about losing money. It was the feeling and the escape that kept drawing her back. That experience will sound familiar to anyone in recovery from substance use, where the drive to escape difficult emotions is often the engine underneath the addiction.
Support from loved ones matters. Recovery does not happen in isolation. The segment closes on the importance of awareness and support from the people closest to someone who is struggling, especially during high-risk moments like major sporting events.
Watch the Segment
Watch the full story, including Jessica Steinman’s interview, in the NBC Palm Springs segment on sports betting accessibility and gambling addiction.
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, the team at No Matter What Recovery is here to help. Contact our admissions team to start the conversation.
