This New York Times column spotlights how casinos contribute to the lack of mobility out of poverty facing millions of Americans. As casinos have spread into de-industrialized cities, dying resorts and gritty urban areas, the rate of gambling participation has grown among lower-income groups. A research team from the University at Buffalo and SUNY Buffalo State has conducted studies that offer new evidence of the exploitative effects of casino gambling on lower-income Americans. Examining 15 types of legal gambling, the researchers came to a striking conclusion: Casino gambling had by far the most harmful effects on people at the lower end of the income ladder.
“They Looked Like They Were Getting Rich on Polymarket— but None of It Was Real” | Wall Street Journal
June 22, 2026
By Katherine Long, Caitlin Ostroff, Neil Mehta and Brenna T. Smith “The prediction market has flooded social media with deceptive