Bill Maher laments rise of gambling culture among young Americans during 'Real Time'

09 Feb 2026 By foxnews

"Real Time" host Bill Maher lamented the rise of gambling on Friday during his HBO show and told viewers that people still have control of their own destiny in America.

"So I gotta ask, is this what we're doing now instead of having an actual economy? I get it. Too many people feel that even clawing their way to the middle class is impossible. Forget fantasy football. Owning a home - that's the real fantasy," he said.

Maher said gambling was mostly done by younger men during the monologue.

"And yet, half of all millennials do own a home," the comedian continued. "And most of the gambling is done by really young men, to whom I say: Why don't you let life kick you in the a-- before you give up on it?"

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The comedian said gambling allows people to stop believing they can control their own destinies.

"I'm sure that an afternoon doing scratch-offs at the gas station is a great way to signal to women, 'I'm not marriage material,' but it's not a retirement plan. Gambling isn't just bad because you lose the rent; it's bad because it gives permission to stop believing that you control your destiny," he added.

Maher said, "But this is still America, and you still do."

"We're the 'we don't accept fate, we make it' people, not the 'we're up all night to get lucky' people," Maher said.

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Maher also took aim at singer Billie Eilish during his show over remarks the star made about "stolen land" during her acceptance speech at the Grammys.

Eilish, who won Song of the Year, condemned ICE during her acceptance speech. The 24-year-old went viral when she declared, "No one is illegal on stolen land."

"You don't know facts," Maher said of the singer.

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Maher picked apart a transcript of Eilish's speech, which began with the singer saying, "It's hard to know what to say."

"Then, don't say anything, 'cause you don't know things," he charged. "You didn't go to school, I don't think, and you don't know facts."