Have colleges become casinos?

+ dip in foreign language study creates national security risks US Edition - Today's top story: Colleges face gambling addiction among students as sports betting spreads [View in browser]( US Edition | 16 November 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Iceland’s volcanoes are rumbling, once again]( - [Can you tell if you’re being duped by a cheap fake?]( - [On and off the streets, Iranian women continue protesting]( Lead story I’m not a gambler. But when I read back in September 2017 that Howard University’s football team scored one of the biggest upsets in college football history against UNLV − and that a $100 bet would have won $50,000 − I decided to try my luck. The problem, which I didn’t fully realize at the time, is that sports betting wasn’t yet legal in the U.S. Which explains why it was so hard to find an online bookmaker offering a similar payout for Howard’s next game. Through extensive outreach, I discovered an offshore website called 5Dimes. I placed a bet, hoping Howard’s then-quarterback, Caylin Newton − NFL star quarterback Cam Newton’s younger brother − would score another upset and thereby help me win a small fortune. Unfortunately, it was not to be, and I lost the $300 or so that I wagered that day with 5Dimes, a website that is no longer permitted to operate in the U.S. Now that sports betting is legal in the U.S., you don’t have to look hard for a place to bet on a college sports game − especially if you’re a college student. As noted by Miami University statistics professor Jason W. Osborne, sports betting is one of the most rapidly growing sectors of gaming and is also becoming [more accessible at college campuses throughout the U.S.](, putting college students at risk for gambling addiction. [ [Miss us on Sundays? Get a selection of our best and most popular stories (or try our other weekly emails).]([]]( Jamaal Abdul-Alim Education Editor Around 6% of college students have a gambling problem. John Rowley/The Image Bank via Getty Images [Colleges face gambling addiction among students as sports betting spreads]( Jason W. Osborne, Miami University The rise of sports betting has made gambling addiction a bigger issue on college campuses, but there are steps universities can take to address it. Education - [Fewer US college students are studying a foreign language − and that spells trouble for national security]( Deborah Cohn, Indiana University A new report from the Modern Language Association shows an unprecedented drop in the study of foreign languages among college students. Environment + Energy - [Volcanic Iceland is rumbling again as magma rises − a geologist explains eruptions in the land of fire and ice]( Jaime Toro, West Virginia University Iceland’s volcanic activity is generally tame compared with explosive eruptions along the Pacific’s Ring of Fire. This time, it’s shaking up a town. Science + Technology - [No, you’re not that good at detecting fake videos − 2 misinformation experts explain why and how you can develop the power to resist these deceptions]( Sam Wineburg, Stanford University; Michael Caulfield, University of Washington When you view photos and video through the fog of war, first ask yourself: Do I really know what I’m looking at? Politics + Society - [Women’s activism in Iran continues, despite street protests dying down in face of state repression]( Mona Tajali, Agnes Scott College Iranian women are still pressing for women’s rights and equality, just in quieter forms, including not wearing mandatory hair covers. Imprisoned activists are also leaking messages to others. - [Jury convictions of Bannon and Navarro for refusing congressional subpoena may energize lawmakers’ ability to hold powerful people accountable]( Elise J. Bean, Wayne State University The convictions of two former Trump aides who refused to comply with the House Jan. 6 committee’s information requests could revive a potent tool for holding powerful people accountable. - [‘From the river to the sea’ – a Palestinian historian explores the meaning and intent of scrutinized slogan]( Maha Nassar, University of Arizona The slogan has been attacked as ‘antisemitic’ and defended as a ‘call for freedom.’ Behind the controversy is decades of usage. Health + Medicine - [FDA’s latest warnings about eye drop contamination put consumers on edge − a team of infectious disease experts explain the risks]( Alexander Sundermann, University of Pittsburgh; Daria Van Tyne, University of Pittsburgh A bacterial contamination of the work environment at facilities that produce eye drops can lead to severe infections and even death, as was the case earlier in 2023. International - [What exactly is a ceasefire, and why is it so difficult to agree on one in Gaza?]( Marika Sosnowski, The University of Melbourne Virtually as old as conflict itself, a ceasefire is a way of formalising a halt to violence between warring parties. But ceasefires can come in many different forms, leading to disagreements. - [How governments use IMF bailouts to hurt political opponents – new research]( M. Rodwan Abouharb, UCL; Bernhard Reinsberg, University of Glasgow Sri Lanka is just one of a number of countries in which IMF loan conditions appear to be mainly burdening supporters of the opposition. Trending on site - [Music painted on the wall of a Venetian orphanage will be heard again nearly 250 years later]( - [Poor men south of Richmond? Why much of the rural South is in economic crisis]( - [The universe is expanding faster than theory predicts – physicists are searching for new ideas that might explain the mismatch]( Today's graphic 📈 [As of 2017, nearly 3,000 utilities were operating in the U.S. Investor-owned utilities are very large companies that serve about 3 out of 4 electricity customers nationwide. Publicly owned companies may be run by federal, state or municipal governments. Cooperatives are nonprofit, member-owned utilities.]( From the story, [Maine voters don’t like their electric utilities, but they balked at paying billions to buy them out]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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