I’ve been a huge fan of Joe Rogan and Theo Von for years. As podcasters, they are two of the sharpest, most entertaining voices around. I’ve spent countless hours listening to both men, laughing, thinking, and sometimes seeing the world a little differently, which makes what I have to say rather painful.
Gambling addiction is devouring America, and DraftKings is leading the feast. Young men, already adrift in a culture of loneliness and economic despair, are the primary casualties. And disturbingly, the very voices they trust — figures like Theo Von and Joe Rogan — are pushing them deeper into the trap. Rogan and Von host two of the biggest and most influential podcasts in the United States. Their reach spans millions every week, cutting across class, geography, and ideology. So much of the cultural debate today obsesses over guardrails for guests, i.e. who podcasters should and shouldn’t platform. But almost no one talks about the other side of the equation: the advertisers. That’s often where the real danger hides. Because sometimes, you’re not just selling ad space; sometimes, you’re selling addiction.
A devastating psychological disorder that correlates strongly with depression, financial ruin, family breakdown, and suicide, gambling addiction is on the rise. A recent study published in the Lancet shows that the rate of suicidal ideation among problem gamblers is staggeringly high. In fact, suicide is often the leading cause of death among patients diagnosed with gambling disorder, a grim reminder that the consequences aren’t just financial. They’re fatal. Recent studies show that 10 percent of young men in the U.S. already exhibit signs of problem gambling, which is over three times the rate seen in the general population. Today, across America, things have gotten so dire that some experts now describe gambling addiction as an emerging public health crisis. When someone like Rogan or Von reads an ad for DraftKings, promising promotions, jackpots, “better payouts” and “bigger wins,” they are not speaking to an anonymous crowd. They speak directly to men who trust them, men who see them not just as entertainers, but as champions of independent thinking in a culture that increasingly dismisses this very idea. And they’re not just reading ads; they’re offering promo codes and personalized incentives designed to pull their listeners even deeper into the system. It’s a direct invitation, one stamped with their names, their credibility, and the unspoken assurance that it’s all part of the fun.
Of course, it makes complete sense for DraftKings to partner with the pair. Von has close to four million subscribers on YouTube, while Rogan has five times that amount. These are not niche voices. They are empires. To a gambling company, this is an absolute goldmine. It’s a direct line into a community of young listeners, predominantly male, many of whom already admire risk-taking and the thrill of overcoming the odds. In marketing terms, it’s a dream demographic. But, I ask, why are Rogan and Von partnering with DraftKings? They aren’t struggling comedians trying to make ends meet. They are two very wealthy men. They don’t need DraftKings’ money. Von is reportedly worth $5 million, while Rogan is worth at least $200 million. They could align with thousands of brands that wouldn’t put their fans in danger. Instead, they chose one of the few industries almost guaranteed to harm the very young men who hang on their every word..
For those who think this is just a petty hit piece, let me disabuse you of that notion right now. I am not a hater. Far from it. As mentioned, I’m someone who has spent countless hours listening to these men and often admires their insight. That is precisely why this story matters. I’ve seen close friends get consumed by gambling addiction, losing vast sums of money, spiraling into depression, and watching their lives slowly collapse. It’s also what makes this situation feel so bitterly ironic. Von is a man who has overcome addiction and spoken candidly about his own struggles on his podcast and elsewhere. Rogan has been a vocal advocate for men’s health, resilience, and the urgent need for stronger, more disciplined males in society. Moreover, when you’ve earned the kind of loyalty Rogan and Von have, you owe it to your audience to protect them, not to sell them out. This isn’t about being puritanical. No one is arguing that adults shouldn’t be allowed to place a bet. No one is demanding censorship. This is about something far simpler: moral duty. If you know that an action carries serious, foreseeable harm, and you have the power to choose otherwise, you are morally responsible for what you choose to endorse. This is basic, ground-level ethics. You don’t have to be a theologian or a philosopher to grasp it. Rogan and Von are not stupid men.
And gambling, especially the form marketed by DraftKings, is engineered to prey on psychological vulnerability. It is algorithmically engineered to hook users early, flatter them with small wins, and trap them in a cycle of chasing losses until the financial and emotional damage is complete. VIP programs go even further, targeting young men (and women) with perks and rewards, grooming them into becoming heavy bettors before chewing them up, spitting them out, and moving on to the next victim. Gambling doesn’t just promise money. It promises transformation. In a few minutes, you can go from overlooked to admired, from powerless to powerful. But it’s a lie. And right now, it’s a lie that Theo Von and Joe Rogan are helping to sell. If they want to be more than just another pair of famous voices selling out to the highest bidder, they need to stop. Not tomorrow. Not when the next contract renewal comes up. Now. Some choices in life aren’t complicated. This is one of them. Kill the ads. Take the hit. Protect the people who made you who you are. Because in the end, it’s not about what you say into a microphone. It’s about what you’re willing to lose to stay worth listening to.
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