The Gambling Scandals Keep Coming

Sports

The Gambling Scandals Keep Coming

What's going on: Sometimes life imitates art. In season four of One Tree Hill, teen basketball star Nathan Scott was caught up in a sports-betting scheme to shave points off the state championship. Yesterday, federal prosecutors indicted more than two dozen people for manipulating at least 29 college basketball games across the US, as well as pro contests in China. They face several charges, including bribery in sports and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. More than half of the accused athletes played in the last two seasons for schools like Alabama State, Eastern Michigan, and Northwestern State. Four played in games in the past week. It comes just months after investigators charged 34 people for a similar scheme in the NBA. Foul play.

What it means: These gambling schemes aren’t limited to college or pro leagues — they can affect everyday people. Nearly 20 million Americans say they’ve experienced at least one “problematic gambling behavior.” The risks can be high — affecting everything from family finances to mental health. One woman told The Cut her partner burned through $300,000 in two years on sports bets. If gambling is a concern in your family, there are steps you can take. Ask questions about any sports betting that might be going on, and set boundaries if it makes you uncomfortable. Share accounts? Experts say you can freeze both your credit and your kids’ credit, limit access to shared money, and keep an eye out for fraud. The National Problem Gambling Helpline provides information, support, and referrals to programs that can help with gambling addiction. Nobody wants to feel like they’re stuck in an Uncut Gems sequel.

Related: How To Talk to Your Kids About Sports Gambling (KQED)

The News in 5

🗞️ President Donald Trump is threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minneapolis. Can he?

🗞️ Iran reopened its airspace as Trump says the country has eased its crackdown on protesters. 

🗞️ X said it limited Grok’s ability to create sexualized images of real people after the chatbot came under fire. That’s not the only change.

🗞️ More people are surviving cancer — and among women, the results are even more encouraging, according to a new report.

🗞️ You love your Spotify playlists and Wrapped, but you may not feel the same about its latest subscription update.

Sports

The Games Are Coming. But the Drama Is Already Here 

What’s going on: With just weeks to go before the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, excitement is at an all-time high. So is the seemingly last-minute scramble for Italy to stick the landing. Safety concerns have followed the games since the start, from transportation and crowd logistics to unfinished competition sites. The biggest question mark remains the hockey arena, where construction delays led Team USA to question whether the rink would be ready in time. Reuters reports alpine communities are also concerned social media-driven climate tourism will turn sacred landscapes into selfie backdrops. Or as one resident put it: The visitors “bring only noise, traffic, and aggression.”

What it means: Other host cities have faced similar struggles: remember the now-infamous poop-filled Seine in Paris and the scores of empty stands at Beijing’s COVID-19 games? Even future hosts feel the pressure: People wonder whether Los Angeles will be ready in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics following the January 2025 wildfires. The International Olympic Committee isn’t sweating concerns about this year’s upcoming games, promising work continues around the clock to deliver a gold-medal worthy event. One upside, at least for now? It finally snowed — which, for a Winter Olympics, feels pretty important.

Related: This US Figure Skating Pair Qualified — but Won’t Be Able To Perform at the Olympics (ESPN) 

Parenting

The Adults Are One Strike Away From Being Called Out 

What’s going on: A sixth-grade youth basketball game in Staten Island turned ugly fast after parents threw punches courtside — right in front of kids and coaches. Officials put their foot down, saying unruly spectators will be removed, according to local media. The New York Times reports that across youth sports, sideline behavior has become harder to ignore — especially when parents shout at referees, confront each other, and treat their kids’ games like tryouts for the NBA. According to the Aspen Institute, 11.4% of parents believe their child will make it to the big leagues, which helps explain why some rec games now feel anything but fun. And as leagues demand more time, travel, and money, emotions rise with those investments.

What it means: Nearly 70% of kids quit organized sports by age 13, often because the fun disappears, and parents are partly to blame. When adults curse, heckle refs, or get physical, kids don’t just feel stressed — they might walk away thinking this is how to handle conflict. One parent suggests a few simple rules to keep things from getting too heated. Cheer for effort, not outcomes; remember the refs are human; and if you feel yourself boiling over, take a literal lap. Seeing questionable behavior? Practice de-escalation: step back, loop in coaches or league officials, and avoid confrontations with other parents and players that only make things worse. Also worth remembering: An outburst is deeply embarrassing for your kid. They’re already mortified by you enough as is.

Related: A Viral Youth Hockey Fight Prompts Discipline and More Questions (NBC News)

On Our Calendar

A few things to jot down today…

🗓️ There are plenty of NHL games happening today if you want to watch the boy aquarium. 

🗓️ National Nothing Day is giving us another excuse to bedrot this long weekend.

🗓️ Get ready for nearly two hours of horror. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple comes out in theaters today.

Psst…For more dates worth knowing this week, check out the Skimm+ calendar.

Know It All

How much did Verizon offer to credit customers after an outage ruined most of their Wednesday?