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Category Archives: Gambling

Ads, food and gambling galore 5 essential reads for the Super Bowl – The Conversation

Posted: February 11, 2024 at 3:50 am

On Sunday in Las Vegas, the Kansas City Chiefs will be looking to win their second straight Lombardi Trophy, while a San Francisco 49ers victory would give the team its first Super Bowl since 1995, when Steve Young was under center.

I didnt get a pass to media day, so I didnt get a chance to ask Chiefs head coach Andy Reid about how he tends to his mustache.

But my colleagues and I were able to ask an all-pro lineup of scholars to write about a range of football-related topics, from the partisan food divide to the numbers behind the biggest gambling bonanza in league history.

The Pro Bowl, the NFLs version of the all-star game, usually gets scant attention. Thats because it happens the weekend before the Super Bowl absent many of the stars playing in the big game and the players seem most concerned about avoiding injuries, not winning the game.

A year ago, league officials decided to shake up the annual showcase. It would no longer be a tackle football game. It would be a flag football match. The thinking went that if the leagues stars didnt have to tackle one another, they might play harder, be more likely to showcase their athleticism and, importantly, have more fun.

As West Virginia University sociologist Josh Woods explains, the NFLs promotion of flag football is a big deal, particularly for an emerging sport thats somewhat obscure outside of Florida, Georgia and New York, where roughly 80% of high school flag football players live. Its inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics will only further bolster its profile.

But Woods points to a gender divide and a political divide that could end up clouding the sports future.

Read more: Could flag football one day leapfrog tackle football in popularity?

In 2011, former NFL cornerback Sam Shields was a rookie playing for a Green Bay Packers team that had made the Super Bowl. The night before the big game, he tossed and turned.

I had stomach aches, using the bathroom, but I didnt have to use it, he told Sports Illustrated in 2019. It felt like Christmas too, when Christmas is the next day you cant sleep.

Ive wondered whether I would get a wink of shut-eye if I were scheduled to pitch in the World Series. Something tells me Id be a lot like Shields. And as if the Chiefs and 49ers players and coaches arent feeling enough pressure, it turns out that getting a good nights sleep is one of the most important things an athlete can do before a big game, meet or match.

University of Pittsburgh sleep medicine specialist Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse highlights reams of studies showing how a poor nights sleep can effect performance and decision-making while making you more likely to get injured.

In fact, she writes, Sleep deficits have been linked to decreased performance in every cognitive measure.

Read more: Sleep can give athletes an edge over competitors but few recognize how fundamental sleep is to performance

Did you bet on the 49ers to cover the spread? Perhaps youre playing squares. Or maybe youre betting on Reba McEntires national anthem to last longer than 90.5 seconds.

If youve wagered on some aspect of the big game, youre one of roughly 67 million American adults who have done the same, according to a Morning Consult survey conducted in early February. That would make another new record, shattering 2023s record, which shattered the mark from 2022. The countrys gambling mania has been aided, in part, by the Supreme Courts 2018 ruling that overturned a federal ban on sports betting.

Gambling and the Super Bowl have always gone hand in hand. To University of Iowa sports media scholar Tom Oates, what makes the developments of the past few years so remarkable is the NFLs stunning reversal on its own attitudes toward betting.

Gone are the quaint days of league officials lobbying Congress to put restrictions and guardrails in place. The NFL has gone all in on its embrace of gambling, forging billion-dollar partnerships with the countrys top sportsbooks.

But this infusion of extra cash comes with a substantial social cost, Oates writes. Gambling addictions are at an all-time high, likely spurred by the ease with which people can place bets from their phones.

So if you want to get in on the action, gamble responsibly and dont let your emotions get the best of you.

That being said, a little birdie told me that Reba can really hold her notes.

Read more: The Super Bowl gets the Vegas treatment, with 1 in 4 American adults expected to gamble on the big game

Everything is politicized, so the lament goes. And even the Super Bowl one of the few communal events left in a polarized, atomized nation cant avoid the creep of partisanship.

In recent years, some of the countrys most iconic food brands Bud Light, Goya, Papa Johns, Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A have been excoriated by partisans on both sides of the aisle.

So food spreads can color every Super Bowl party with a tinge of red team, blue team.

What you serve at your Super Bowl party, or what the host serves at the event you attend, can now be interpreted, or twisted, through a partisan lens, write political scientists Joshua J. Dyck and Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz.

One possible way to bridge the divide: Unite in a bipartisan celebration of Taylor Swift. Actually, scratch that.

Maybe you could just serve salmon a food that, according to Dyck and Pearson-Merkowitzs research, is resistant to partisan cues.

Grim times, indeed.

Read more: Super Bowl party foods can deliver political bite choose wisely

According to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, 22% of Americans planning to watch the Super Bowl are most excited about the commercials.

Thats one reason companies are willing to fork over so much cash for a coveted slot as much as US$7 million for a 30-second spot.

However, as Auburn University scholars Linda Ferrell and O.C. Ferrell point out, many regulars on the airwaves of the Super Bowl, such as GoDaddy and Ford, are missing from this years lineup.

What gives?

Gen Z, in particular, is not impressed by Super Bowl ads, they write, and complicating the matter is their lack of interest in broadcast TV.

So as a millennial whos spent years listening to how my generation has killed everything from paper napkins to mayonnaise, I take great pleasure in typing: Gen Z killed the Super Bowl ad.

Read more: Super Bowl ads: It's getting harder for commercials to score with consumers

This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversations archives.

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Michigan Association on Problem Gambling warns of gambling problems ahead of Super Bowl – 9 & 10 News

Posted: at 3:50 am

CADILLAC Many people in Michigan could be betting on the big game, with our states fairly new sports betting laws.

An estimated $1.3 billion will be bet on Super Bowl Sunday.

The Michigan Association on Problem Gambling wants you to be aware of the apps drawing you in by giving you free money to gamble.

While they say most of the gambling will be fun and safe this weekend, they also want to remind you of any other potential problems.

Did you bet more than youd planned on betting when you started your session? And number two, and this is so critical, did you lie about it to somebody? Gambling is a hidden addiction, said Michael Burke of Michigan Association on Problem Gambling.

If you or someone you know needs help with gambling in Michigan, you can call the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-270-7117 for 24/7 confidential crisis intervention and referral to treatment.

You can also visit the Michigan Association on Problem Gambling website here.

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Ivey addresses gambling, AI, broadband and more – Alabama Political Reporter

Posted: at 3:50 am

Gov. Kay Ivey touched on many areas throughout her annual State of the State address Tuesday night, unveiling a school voucher program as her top priority.

But the unveiling of the CHOOSE Act was just a small part of Iveys address, which also touched on gambling, workforce participation, broadband, artificial intelligence, voter suppression and more.

Heres a look at what the governor had to say:

While gambling legislation has been a persistent challenge for the Legislature, there have been strong indications that this is the year a bill will move forward to give Alabamians a vote on the subject.

While the exact proposal has not been publicly revealed, Ivey said she believes it will be good for the state.

It will crack down on illegal gambling, and it will responsibly regulate limited forms of legal gaming, including a statewide lottery Ivey said. Now is the time for Alabama voters to have another say on this issue.

Ivey touted her recent announcement of $188 million in federal grant funding to expand broadband in rural areas of Alabama via the middle mile program and said Alabamas overall investment in broadband expansion would be $2 billion.

Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth recently unveiled his plans to transform the states workforce development pipeline, and Ivey touched on the states labor force participation rate during her address.

While our unemployment rate remains historically low, our labor force participation rate stands only at 57.2 percent, one of the lowest in the nation, Ivey said. Our state will not reach its full potential with nearly half of its population sitting on the sidelines. Alabama can do better, and it will take making Alabamas workforce programs more effective and efficient.

Look yall, I am not going to stand here and preach like I know a lick about AI, Ivey said to chuckles from the crowd.

In an attempt to get ahead of the growing opportunities and challenges involved with the boom of AI applications in industry and everyday life, Ivey announced the creation of a taskforce to ensure the technology is used safely and efficiently.

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Tiny Nicks Gambling Picks: 02/10 – Zone Coverage

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Super Bowl gambling to break records – Action News 5

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Super Bowl gambling to break records  Action News 5

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Super Bowl gambling to break records - Action News 5

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Capitol Notebook: Iowa gambling commission names new administrator – The Gazette

Posted: at 3:50 am

The Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines on Jan. 31, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Tina Eick will lead Iowas Racing and Gaming Commission after holding the interim role since December, the commission announced Friday.

The commission named Eick the permanent administrator in a meeting on Friday, saying she stood out through a long and competitive interview process.

Nine candidates were interviewed for the position, board member Amy Burkhart said.

Throughout the feedback received and throughout that process it became very evident that we already have the person in place who is the best candidate to lead our commission forward, she said.

The Racing and Gaming Commission is tasked with regulating and overseeing casinos, horse racing and sports betting in Iowa.

Eick has worked for the commission since 2017 as director of operations. She became interim administrator in December when the previous administrator, Brian Ohorilko, left the commission to take an executive position with Prairie Meadows Casino.

Eick was paid $143,408 in 2023, according to state records. Ohorilko was paid $217,427.

Board members who spoke at the meeting Friday heaped praises onto Eick, saying she had high qualifications, a deep knowledge of the states gambling rules and regulations, and a strong work ethic.

Im honored and Im humbled by all of those comments and those kind words, and your confidence in me, Eick told the commission on Friday. And I really look forward to the challenges to come.

Gambling regulations in Iowa have come under some scrutiny with questions over an investigation into illegal sports betting against a number of Iowa college athletes. The investigation was conducted by the Division of Criminal Investigation, and not the Racing and Gaming Commission.

Ohorilko previously said his decision to leave the post was not related to the investigation, but told a parent of one student-athlete a lot of people dont agree with how the investigation was handled, according to court documents.

A leader of Teamsters Local 238 in a video posted to YouTube told union members to prepare for protest activity, including rolling strikes, over legislation introduced in the Iowa Legislature.

A bill in the Iowa Senate would require public employers to submit a list of union-eligible workers, and if the list is not submitted to the state on time, the bargaining unit would be automatically dissolved. Such an action could only be stopped by the bargaining unit filing a lawsuit to compel the employer to act.

Supporters say the bill is needed to close a loophole in state law, under which many unions have not performed required recertification laws. Critics call it a union-busting bill.

Jesse Case, principal officer for Teamsters Local 238, in the video told members to watch for information about protests and strikes.

(The bill) would effectively end all public sector unions in the state of Iowa, Case said. Well guess what were fighting back. Were not taking it. Were not going to let dark money from out of state roll into Iowa and harm hard working families across the state.

Senate Study Bill 3158 has been advanced out of subcommittee and is eligible for consideration by the full Senate Workforce Committee.

The Iowa Insurance Division announced it has joined a $1.5 million multistate settlement with TradeStation Crypto, Inc.

The agreement resolves allegations the Florida-based company violated state and federal securities regulation by offering and selling an unregistered interest-bearing crypto-lending product without the proper registration or disclosure to investors.

The settlement comes as the result of an investigation led by state securities regulators in Alabama, California, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin.

Under the program, investors passively earned interest on digital assets by loaning them to TradeStation, according to a news release from the Iowa Insurance Division. The crypto platform had total discretion over the revenue-generating activities used to earn returns for investors, the release states.

Regulators also lacked access of critical information necessary to understand the potential risks of TradeStation's program.

TradeStation agreed to pay $1.5 million to 51 U.S. jurisdictions and $1.5 million to the SEC.

The company also agreed to stop offering, selling, or renewing its digital asset interest-earning program until it complies with applicable state and federal securities laws.

Whatever Iowans may be looking to invest in, its always important for them to be vigilant and protect their assets, Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen said in a statement. Iowans can always double-check before investing to make sure an investment is properly registered with the Iowa Insurance Division by calling 877-955-1212.

Iowa's Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program Board approved more than $3.4 million in cost-sharing projects that allow Iowa fuel retailers to install E15 and other high-ethanol blend pumps.

The 73 approved projects, across 38 counties, marks a record for a single quarter, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said in a release.

More than $5.48 million has been awarded to similar cost-sharing projects so far this year, the department said.

"Iowans are fueling their vehicles with lower cost E15 at record levels, Iowa plants are producing record volumes of ethanol, and Iowa is setting records for ethanol infrastructure investment, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said in the release.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau

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Capitol Notebook: Iowa gambling commission names new administrator - The Gazette

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Gambling in Iran: A prohibited but flourishing pursuit in digital age – G2G News

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Gambling in Iran: A prohibited but flourishing pursuit in digital age  G2G News

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addresses legalized gambling, officiating, player safety ahead of Super Bowl LVIII – NFL.com

Posted: at 3:50 am

Goodell also discussed continued efforts to improve health and safety. The NFL prioritized adjusting kickoff rules to make the play safer as it went into the 2023 season. The league saw a significant drop in the number of regular-season games missed to injury this season, but concussion numbers essentially remained stable (219 total, compared to 213 in 2022), which is below the recent high of 281 a few seasons ago. Goodell hopes to find ways to improve those numbers while also keeping the kickoff in the game.

"For me, I thought this rule was necessary for the one year because we need to innovate," Goodell said. "We need to work with our coaches and our competition committee and those across the league to find a way to keep the kickoff in the game. It's an exciting play. It's important for us. The same for punts. But when you see a higher injury rate for that play, you can't ignore that. And we haven't yet found that solution. I think we've proven over the last several years, you can make the game safer and more exciting at the same time. And that's our objective here. I'm confident we'll get to that. It's going to take a little work. This is a one-year rule, so I hope that will be a major focus this spring."

NFL playing surfaces, specifically the differences between grass and artificial-turf fields, have also become a hotly debated topic when it comes to player safety. Goodell hopes to explore a new innovation as a potential option, while asserting that finding consistency for players on a week-to-week basis is a crucial element of keeping them safe.

"This has been a major focus with the Players Association, and we have jointly worked with experts to try to study this question," Goodell said. "It's not always just grass or synthetic. We think hybrid is something to really explore. That's actually what they use in international soccer, is a hybrid type of format. Additionally, I think we've got to look at different circumstances, right? You play in a dome for four and half months, that's pretty hard to grow grass. You can sometimes take it in and out. You can find a way of trying to replace that. But we want to try to get the best possible field surfaces, and that is something that varies from market to market, climate to climate. One of the the things that we think is very important and the studies that we're doing, is consistency. And when I say consistency, it's not just on the entire playing surface, but it's consistency of what players are playing on during the week leading up to the game. What they're practicing on and what they play on. That consistency is really important, according to our engineers and our experts. So we're looking at that with the Players Association and hope we can find better solutions and continue that focus."

When asked about reports of the 49ers being displeased with their practice field for this week in Las Vegas, Goodell said that the UNLV practice facility was approved unanimously.

"That work is being done every single day," he said. "We had 23 experts out there. We had the union out there. All of them think that's a very playable surface. It's softer than what they have practiced on, but that happens. It's well within all of our testing standards. It's something that we think all our experts, as well as neutral field inspectors, have all said unanimously that it's a playable field."

Lastly, Goodell made an exciting announcement for the 2024 season: The Philadelphia Eagles are the designated team for the league's first-ever game in South America. Philly's contest in So Paulo, Brazil, will take place on Friday of Week 1, with the Eagles playing an opponent that will be revealed before the full 2024 regular-season schedule is released in the spring.

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addresses legalized gambling, officiating, player safety ahead of Super Bowl LVIII - NFL.com

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Players on the 49ers and Chiefs are barred from gambling in Vegas, until the game ends – NBC Sports

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Players on the 49ers and Chiefs are barred from gambling in Vegas, until the game ends  NBC Sports

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Judge in Borgata/MGM case rules casinos have no duty to stop compulsive gamblers from betting – The Associated Press

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Judge in Borgata/MGM case rules casinos have no duty to stop compulsive gamblers from betting  The Associated Press

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