The dark side of the Super Bowl betting bonanza

+ the science of CBD's health benefits US Edition - Today's top story: Data from New Jersey is a warning sign for young sports bettors [View in browser]( US Edition | 9 February 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( On Super Bowl Sunday, millions of neutral fans outside of Philadelphia and Kansas City will have an incentive to root for the Eagles or the Chiefs: A record $16 billion is expected to be wagered on the game, a sign of the growing popularity of sports betting since 2018, when the Supreme Court overturned a federal ban on it. More and more Americans support legal sports betting. But researchers are only starting to understand the consequences of so many opportunities to place bets – easier than ever, thanks to the proliferation of gambling apps. The state of New Jersey has tasked Lia Nower, the director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University, with interviewing gamblers and analyzing every bet placed online in the state since 2018. [Her team’s findings](, which include heightened suicide risk, massive losses and impulsive betting, may give some gambling enthusiasts pause. Also today: - [The pitfalls of framing gun reform around mass shootings]( - [Twitter’s new data fees will only add to the cost of research]( - [Lying kids are viewed more positively than blunt truth-tellers]( Nick Lehr Arts + Culture Editor Fans celebrate at the William Hill Sports Book in Atlantic City, N.J. Lisa Lake/Getty Images for William Hill US [Data from New Jersey is a warning sign for young sports bettors]( Lia Nower, Rutgers University Researchers who analyzed every sports bet placed online since 2018 found that young adults are the fastest-growing group of bettors, with more than 70% of them placing in-game bets. Economy + Business - [New Zealand wants to tax cow burps – here’s why that’s not the best climate solution]( Kevin Trenberth, University of Auckland New Zealand is considering a plan to tax methane from cows. But while cows and cars both emit greenhouse gases, they don’t have the same impact over time. Science + Technology - [Twitter cutoff in Turkey amid earthquake rescue operations: a social media expert explains the danger of losing the microblogging service in times of disaster]( Anjana Susarla, Michigan State University Twitter was blocked in Turkey for about 12 hours at the height of rescue and relief efforts in the aftermath of a massive earthquake, severely hampering a vital tool for disaster response. - [Adults judge children who tell blunt polite truths more harshly than they do liars]( Laure Brimbal, Texas State University Kids need to learn when little lies are the right choice. But research suggests parents may not be clear in the messages they send about how they value the truth. - [Twitter’s new data fees leave scientists scrambling for funding – or cutting research]( Jon-Patrick Allem, University of Southern California Twitter has long allowed anyone to access its data about who tweeted what and when. This has been a boon to research, from public health to criminology. The new fees put that research at risk. Education - [Public school enrollment dropped by 1.2M during the pandemic – an expert discusses where the students went and why it matters]( Thomas Dee, Stanford University Federal, state and local efforts to help students recover learning they missed or lost during the pandemic are underway. But those projects don’t include the youngest students. Health + Medicine - [CBD is not a cure-all – here’s what science says about its real health benefits]( Kent E Vrana, Penn State CBD isn’t a miracle cure for everything that ails a person – but science shows that it has the potential to help treat a number of health conditions. - [Medication abortion could get harder to obtain – or easier: There’s a new wave of post-Dobbs lawsuits on abortion pills]( Naomi Cahn, University of Virginia; Sonia Suter, George Washington University A rash of pending lawsuits raises questions about the FDA’s approval of mifepristone two decades ago, whether the drug can be legally mailed and the constitutional right to interstate commerce. Politics + Society - [Biden calls for assault weapon ban – but does focus on military-style guns and mass shootings undermine his message?]( Melissa K. Merry, University of Louisville; Aaron Smith-Walter, UMass Lowell Gun policy scholars explain why even supporters of gun control often believe new restrictions are doomed to fail. - [Brazil’s president visits the White House as he tries to counter rising threats to democracy at home]( Carmen Alvaro Jarrin, College of the Holy Cross President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will meet with President Biden at the White House on Feb. 10, 2023, to discuss several joint issues. But democracy is job one. - [Spy balloon drama elevates public attention, pressure for the US to confront China]( Michael A. Allen, Boise State University; Carla Martinez Machain, University at Buffalo; Michael E. Flynn, Kansas State University Espionage routinely plays out between countries like the US and China. But a public spectacle like the Chinese spy balloon can change the game. Trending on site - [Large numbers of Americans want a strong, rough, anti-democratic leader]( - [How California could save up its rain to ease future droughts — instead of watching epic atmospheric river rainfall drain into the Pacific]( - [Biden’s plan for ending the emergency declaration for COVID-19 signals a pivotal point in the pandemic – 4 questions answered]( Today's graphic [A map of the United States where the states are color-coded according to the legality of mobile sports betting. The four categories are active legislation or ballot initiative, legal, legal but not yet available or no legislation.]( From the story, [Sports betting apps’ notifications and leaderboards encourage more and more wagers – a psychologist who treats gambling addictions explains why some people get hooked]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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