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DraftKings is using AI to behaviorally target chronic gamblers

570 points · 432 comments · paimapi

  1. ecshafer · · focus · HN ↗
    Legalizing sports betting and online gambling was such a massive mistake. They are sleazy immoral industries that profit on suffering.
    1. ActorNightly · · focus · HN ↗
      In general, there is a bigger philosophical question.

      Do we treat humans as

      1) having full agency, and thus full responsibility for their actions

      2) having less than full agency, and then to what extent must society/governments implement control over things that humans can't control within themselves

      Because generally, if you subscribe to 1, there is nothing immortal from taking money from a human that that wants to hand it over, provided that human well knows what is at stake. So as long as these websites aren't defrauding the customers with fake stats, there really is nothing wrong.

      If you subscribe to 2, then thats a much riskier line to walk because that affects a lot of things, not just gambling.

      1. 1718627440 · · focus · HN ↗
        What about fallible, gullible, with full agency?
        1. ActorNightly · · focus · HN ↗
          Then it means that people are responsible to themselves to fix their gullible nature
          1. goatlover · · focus · HN ↗
            But people aren't responsible for taking advantage of gullible natures?
          2. 1718627440 · · focus · HN ↗
            The term nature to me implies that it can't be fixed, because that IS their nature.
          3. dwaltrip · · focus · HN ↗
            Every man and woman and child for themselves! Cooperation and support are for weaklings.

            More seriously, it seems like you have an uncommon view about good ways for people to relate to each other. You may recall that humans evolved to live in large, cooperative groups :)

            1. ActorNightly · · focus · HN ↗
              There is a difference between allowing free agency while creating an environment to steer people away from bad things, versus banning said things.
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