Today’s guest, Aaron Timms, is a freelance journalist from Australia, now living in New York, who has written for The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Guardian, and more.

Back in 2021, he wrote a powerful article for The Guardian about the rise of legalized sports betting in the U.S. and the marketing machine behind it . A piece that left a lasting impression on me. I remember thinking at the time: If I ever start a podcast, I want to talk to this guy.

In the piece, he also reflects on Australia’s experience, a country that legalized gambling decades ago. He explains how it gradually reshaped social interactions and public life, and draws striking parallels to what’s now unfolding in America.

In this episode, we talk about the story behind that article, the cultural shift brought on by legalized betting, and what lessons if any , we might still have time to learn.