Ole Miss to launch center devoted to risks, effects of gambling - ESPN
Ole Miss will launch a first-of-its-kind center to research the risks and effects of growing collegiate gambling.Summary
The University of Mississippi is launching the Center on Collegiate Gambling, described as the first of its kind in the nation, to address rising concerns about sports betting on college campuses. Approved in February with a $700,000 annual budget, the center will study the impact of legalized sports betting and online gambling on students and athletes. Research indicates that 39% of Mississippi college students gambled in the past year, with 6% meeting criteria for problem gambling. The center aims to inform policy changes, promote preventative programs, and train counselors to address gambling addiction, particularly as threats to athletes increase alongside the growth of collegiate gambling. Despite Mississippi’s current restrictions on mobile sports betting, the center’s founders emphasize the need for research and awareness regarding the issue’s growing prevalence and potential harm.
(Source：ESPN)