Unethicality of certain bets & "Power Slap"

[alani123]

I'm opening this topic specifically about the so called "Power Slap" competition, which is a slap fight promotion by UFC owner Dana White.
The famous Dana essentially took the idea of slap fights that were kid of a popular small-scale game in eastern Europe and Russia and ran with it years later after its first round of popularity. Recently Dana claimed the "Power Slap" brand is now worth USD 750 Million... That's in spite of having lost their TV deal with no channel willing to pick the show up. So now "Power Slap" runs on Rumble, the video sharing site that started as a censorship free YouTube alternative.

As of the unethicality of this competition... We all know that fighting sports bear a certain degree of danger. Quite a few athletes have sustained permanent damage after a fight, with some even remaining disabled for a lifetime. But at least with boxing, martial arts and mixed martial arts fights, athletes are allowed to defend themselves and avoid the opponent's blows as much as they can. In Power Slap though, the fighters are not allowed to defend themselves at all. And moreover, it has been acknowledged by the competition's organizers that the blows don't have to be normal slaps... Blows hitting with the base of the hand, that would basically hit nearly as hard as a punch to the face are considered a valid technique. This drastically increases the potential for athletes to injure themselves very seriously...

Here's a detailed video if you'd be interested to know more about this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlE1fyXksMQ

Now, without a TV deal, Power Slap has turned to betting partners to bring in more profit after losing their TV deals.
So I'm hoping this post sparks some discussion about the theatricality of what we should be betting on.
Just like we avoid betting on animal sports because this perpetuates the needless breeding and therefore abuse of animals...
Its for the same reasons that we should consider avoiding betting on sports that have very high potential to leave their athletes disabled.

[Stablexcoin]

I don't know why I found this game very dangerous. My reason for saying this is that the level of injury most players get at the end of the day will take months or even years to recover. I mistakenly got to watch one of the vide where one of the players was slapped and he immediately passed out. Quickly he was rushed into an ambulance, no one knew if he would be fine or if something bad had happened to him. However, all the players are aware of the consequences and it is in their choice to make if they would partake or not

[seoincorporation]

I feel it should be totally banned, as OP claims, the fact that fighters can't defend themselves is a huge risk for big damage, i really enjoy watching UFC because there is a technique and skills involved, but power slap isn't something cool to watch, i feel bad for the guys who practice this sport. I mean people need to work and to find ways to get an income, but letting someone hit you in the face isn't an ethical or fair way to do it.

And we know it's all about business for Dana, he doesn't care at all if people get gurt or permanent damage, if that action represents income for him, then he will promote it.

[Hirose UK]

Actually, this sport is not that dangerous because if there is risk, it is fainting and in this sport there is also medical team that has been tested so that it is quite capable of handling every athlete who is injured or fainted, moreover there are many other types of sports that are much more dangerous but in reality until now it can still continue and has many fans.
I don't know why Power Slap can be criticized by sports lovers, but what is clear is that I still consider this sport the same as other sports with comparable risks such as free fights, MMA and also boxing which even have risks that are much more fatal than Power Slap.
But on the other hand, I myself am not that interested in Power Slap and even though there are bets in it, I will not follow it and this is not because of the potential for dangerous risks for each athlete but because there is no enthusiasm for this one sport.

[Hewlet]

Just like we avoid betting on animal sports because this perpetuates the needless breeding and therefore abuse of animals...
Its for the same reasons that we should consider avoiding betting on sports that have very high potential to leave their athletes disabled.

it's now deficult to really define what we look at as sports because the kind of sports that's coming into limelight is one that's not just demoralizing but is adding no value to participant and spectators but only causing harm to them. Personally, Slapping someone in a hurtful way participant of those slap contest do is both unhealthy and unethical. Participating in such sports means that you're certainly going to face earning impediment sonner than the latter days of your life and that's definitely a tough price to pay regardless of the financial gain that comes with participating in such sports.

The effect it will have on children who might watch those kind of sports and desire to partake in them is on another level at the time we're complaining is sex being classified as a sports .

[FinneysTrueVision]

Power slapping doesn’t require any meaningful skill, it is all about brute strength. I don’t see the appeal of this so-called sport. Maybe people only watch it because they get enjoyment out of seeing people get hurt. There aren't enough studies on the long term effects this sport has on competitors. We can’t say for sure that it is less safe than boxing or MMA. You are probably more likely to suffer hearing loss and for the amount they are being paid, it does not seem worth it at all. The ethics are debatable, but I wholeheartedly agree with this youtuber that it is stupid and overhyped garbage.

[Davidvictorson]

This sports should be renamed "Palm Punch" or "Palm blow" because like alani123 said, those are not normal slaps but blows hitting with the base of the hand. That is almost like causing trauma to the head. Their brain cells are getting fried and it is a gradual process until it becomes full blown. It is crazy that humans would bet on this. It should be shut down. No one deserves to make money this way. Well, I think it is only a matter of time before we begin to see the real hunger games happen and humans placing their bets that is if it not already happening in some remote island far far away from the authorities.

[Natalim]

I’m not really a fan of this sport (if we can call it that) because it’s very dangerous, and it's right that no TV stations air it since it’s not good to watch, in short, it's not entertaining. You can’t blame the sportsbooks, though; they’re just trying to make money by listing games where they can profit, although I’m sure these types of sports have limited betting options compared to major sports that have larger limits.

I don’t know...maybe if the government bans it or makes it illegal, that’s when we won’t see it on sportsbooks anymore.

I’m just curious, though, are there any popular sportsbooks (like those actively running promotions on the forum) that feature this kind of sport?

[peter0425]

As of the unethicality of this competition... We all know that fighting sports bear a certain degree of danger.

Unethicality aside, I see no point in watching this. Literally what is so entertaining about someone getting slapped? Many sports are deemed to have physical consequences and risks but this particular ‘sport’ if we can even call it that is just straight up violence with no real exhibition of talent and skill.

I see why they have no exposure in TV. It’s not going to pay for the lights and all other resources it will consume. Only people who watch this are probably just bored or weirdly obsessed with violence.

However, all the players are aware of the consequences and it is in their choice to make if they would partake or not

That’s true but this can be seen as exploitation of the poor. Obviously some will be willing to participate for the prize money. Since it doesn’t require any skills or knowledge or experience, isn’t pretty much anyone desperate for money can participate? Again it is their own choice but the fact that they even have this option in the first place is pretty laughable.

[TopTort777]

I don't know why I found this game very dangerous. My reason for saying this is that the level of injury most players get at the end of the day will take months or even years to recover. I mistakenly got to watch one of the vide where one of the players was slapped and he immediately passed out. Quickly he was rushed into an ambulance, no one knew if he would be fine or if something bad had happened to him. However, all the players are aware of the consequences and it is in their choice to make if they would partake or not

I will say why it is dangerous, because challenges are not allowed to defend themselves. Every single combat sport teach not only how to do damage, but also how to avoid or minimize that. In power slap, you get a direct damage to the head, and you are not allowed to do anything to defend yourself. This is not even a challenge, this is a pain threshold test. And it is impossible to train to get less damage. Being fat, have thick skin or neck wont help. You just get a direct hit to temple and pray that you dont turn into disabled person after.

[Kelward]

I believe that power slap has to be the most brutal sports that I've ever seen in my life, I saw a video of two hefty men fiercely slapping each other and I thought that it was berberic. I marvel at the extent that people can go just to be entertained while watching people that are brutally slapping themselves without any protections to subdue the impact of pain. I'm happy that no sane TV will air such a raw brutality as a sports because it's mainly viewers without much emotions that'll enjoy such a sport. If it becomes legal to gamble on such a sport then I won't be among gamblers that'll bet my money on them.

[Apocollapse]

It's ethical.

AFAIK there are no countries forbid slapping to adults, many countries only forbid slapping to children.

It's true the fighter can be disabled or injured, but they're agree for that and they're making money from joining this sports.

It's entertaining to see the reaction when they get slapped, it make you satisfied when watch every match. In boxing or MMA, not every match is entertaining to watch, one can going full defend or run away until the time run out.

[danherbias07]

I have known this game before, and I watched a championship match in Russia, but the results of the game never amused me because it felt like this could be a dangerous thing to do. After all, you are being hit in the head without any defense. I have seen players knocked out and some fell on the floor while others were lucky that some helpers were behind them to catch them. It's a simple game but can kill a person with one wrong hit.

About bringing this in betting lines, well, there are fans of the said game so I think there will be gamblers that will make some bets. Still, this game could also be prone to being rigged and who knows if someone will try to control it.

[satscraper]

~

Looking at such kind of competitions I ask myself more than often the following question - is there in fact the intelligent life on this planet, ^{(and if yes)} among what species. Probably it  can be found among dolphins rather than people who are tend to  choke the rest of their brains   out of each other by various means ^{(including drugs, smoking slapping, you name it)}. I believe the humans represent the drop point of intelligence. The future is AI's.

[ethereumhunter]

It is dangerous for each athletes because they will not know how serious their injure after the match ends. They can not defend themselves so the injuries can gives a very bad effect to their head. The brain will get the shake because of the effect of the slap and if that person can not hold, they can feel nauseous and even vomit because there is an injury to their brain.

I hope that Power Slap can be prohibit because the effect to the athletes. We should think the other side effect that can happen to the audience where they can be adult and children because Power Slap runs on Rumble which mean anyone can watch the competition. If children trying to do that with their friends, we can not imagine how bad the effect for them.
If someone remaining disabled for a lifetime because of that, it will a big regret for that person.

[Text]

This is inherently dangerous, especially when you consider the allowance of blows that are nearly equivalent to punches. Unlike traditional combat sports where strategy and defense play a major role, Power Slap feels more like a test of how much trauma one can endure.

When we place bets on sports like this, we inadvertently encourage their growth, and that’s troubling when the athletes' long-term health is at such high risk. It's a lot like what with animal sports, it's one thing to enjoy competition, but another to support activities where the cost to participants could be permanent injury or worse.

[Die_empty]

Now, without a TV deal, Power Slap has turned to betting partners to bring in more profit after losing their TV deals.
So I'm hoping this post sparks some discussion about the theatricality of what we should be betting on.
Just like we avoid betting on animal sports because this perpetuates the needless breeding and therefore abuse of animals...
Its for the same reasons that we should consider avoiding betting on sports that have very high potential to leave their athletes disabled.

A violent game that offers participants no option to defend themselves is very risky. I have never found this power slap game interesting due to the rules. Knowing that the effect of this game has led to permanent injuries confirms that the rules should be changed and more protective measures should be put in place. It could be less risky if participants were allowed to put on a protective mask.

I don't avoid all animal sports because some are interested. Rather I don't participate in games that will cause harm to the animals. But the difference between the violent nature of power slap and violent animal sports is that these animals don't benefit from the win. The animals are groomed to engage in these risky sports while the owners enjoy the gains. But in power slap the participant takes the risk and the benefit.    

[alani123]

It's ethical.

AFAIK there are no countries forbid slapping to adults, many countries only forbid slapping to children.

It's true the fighter can be disabled or injured, but they're agree for that and they're making money from joining this sports.

It's entertaining to see the reaction when they get slapped, it make you satisfied when watch every match. In boxing or MMA, not every match is entertaining to watch, one can going full defend or run away until the time run out.

Just because someone agrees to get in the danger of serious concussions form money, doesn't mean that it's ethical.
A sport should have the athlete's wellbeing in mind. If it's so much more dangerous than any fighting sport, which are already dangerous, quite dangerous maybe it shouldn't be a sport with an organized league at all.

And as of us betting, especially if betting in a platform partnered with the league, you are indirectly finding its operation.
So, do we want to fund a league that slowly kills most of its athletes? I don't think that there's any ethical code which would permit this.

[Rruchi man]

Its for the same reasons that we should consider avoiding betting on sports that have very high potential to leave their athletes disabled.

Some kind of people who happen to be gamblers can be unethical and not mind betting or even viewing these sorts of sports that are dangerous to people. They are supporters of the game so far as they are not the one receiving the slaps. There are some other new kind of sports that I will never consider also like this, like the sex championship and the balls kicking competition. Those are all strange things to call sports.

[Wexnident]

~

I'd say the biggest difference here between animal sports is that they're required to sign an agreement about possible injuries instead, at least afaik that should be a thing to a sport like this. And people are signing up to it, so I reckon the risks reward to it are, well, worth it for them. I'd say their lifetime in those kinds of games are pretty small but still, considering that they probably only need to body build I reckon it's a fair trade based on time spent.

In terms of ethicality, ehh as I've said, as long as an agreement was required beforehand and warnings were issued, the risks involved will 100% be shouldered by the players themselves. After all it's not only strength being measured here but also durability