The business side of sports betting is typically full of calculations about market share, customer acquisition cost and lifetime customer value, as it should be. But it’s important to remember that all those data points represent real people, and the vulnerabilities of those people-customers-warrant a closer look at a cautionary tale from across the pond.

Sports betting in Europe got a nearly two-decade head start on the U.S. It has expanded to the point that eight teams in England’s Premier League now have the logo of a sportsbook emblazoned on their shirts. England, along with much of western Europe, has finally recognized that the profits sportsbooks are reaping come with a devastating societal cost.