“In their moral justification, the argument of the lesser evil has played a prominent role…” This insight from American philosopher Hannah Arendt still holds weight, especially when listening to UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan’s latest perspective on gambling. Recently, the sports world faced upheaval as gambling scandals hit both the NBA and MMA. At UFC Vegas 110, a featherweight bout featuring Isaac Dulgrain drew scrutiny after he delivered a surprisingly amateurish performance, which raised suspicions.

Consequently, Dulgrain’s sudden shift in the betting line prompted the FBI to open an investigation. Last month, the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted over 30 individuals, including prominent NBA figures, charging them with illegal sports betting, money laundering, and rigged poker games. Now, weeks later, Joe Rogan, in his podcast episode #2409, has entered the conversation, openly speaking out against gambling.

Here’s a deeper dive into his stance and the surrounding controversy.

Joe Rogan highlights the impact if online gambling goes “illegal”

During a discussion about recreational substances with his podcast guest, comedian and producer Brian Redban, Joe Rogan stated, “It’s not good to, like, make it illegal because then people are just going to get it somewhere else, right?“

He argued that the same reasoning applies to gambling, “You know, if online gambling becomes somehow illegal, like if they stop these apps, let’s say some people decide, ‘Look, there’s so many people losing their money, going crazy, and getting addicted to sportsbooks, so we’re going to have to ban all these apps that allow you to bet on sports.'”

Rogan made this point while addressing recent NBA and UFC controversies, linking them to “organized crime,” and arguing that banning online gambling will push people toward risky alternatives. He added, “You think people are going to stop betting? It’s just going to be like during Prohibition. What did they do? They went out and bought illegal booze. They’re going to go out and support illegal gambling. They’re going to people’s houses to play poker and get robbed. It’s going to, you know, open people up to crime.”

At the same time, Rogan highlighted the consequences of banning gambling, which is surprising since he once compared it to d**g addiction. However, his recent stance seems to favor gambling, especially as he has been promoting DraftKings on his podcast, raising some eyebrows. Additionally, a recent guest on his show criticized the normalization of gambling, which could explain why Rogan felt compelled to defend

Russell Crowe openly condemns gambling during appearance with Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan once labeled gambling as a form of degradation, saying, “It’s just like c–aine. It’s just like d–g abuse. It’s just like the opiate problem. It’s just like anything else.” However, the landscape has shifted- gambling is now legal in almost every corner, while lawmakers are considering stricter regulations. In Australia, the approach remains more liberal, giving widespread access to the public.

Rogan didn’t anticipate this change and found himself facing a moment of embarrassment on podcast episode #2406, when Hollywood star Russell Crowe delivered a pointed critique of gambling’s widespread normalization in modern society. Crowe addressed the issue directly in front of Rogan, who has drawn scrutiny for promoting betting platforms like DraftKings.

Promoting his new film Nuremberg, Crowe was unflinching when the discussion turned to sports betting. “I really dislike the way in Australia we have normalized it,” the Oscar-winning actor said firmly. “They’re doing a sports report on the news, the national news, and they’ll tell you the odds.”

Interestingly, the Australian star’s remarks were deeply personal, as his family has experienced significant hardships due to gambling among youth and relatives, which, in turn, shaped his strong advocacy against it.