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Since colleges seem opposed to paying their athletes with any gambling windfall, I suggest that the states set aside any gambling-related money that might have gone to colleges and give it to youth. While gambling can be fun if you’re of legal age, it’s not a risk-free activity. For some college students, gambling for fun can turn into a serious problem and have a negative impact on their lives. The NCAA had announced plans to refuse Final Four credentials to any media outlet that ran betting lines or odds for college sports events, so we were treated to a set of lectures on the dangers gambling posed to sports. The media members pointed out the assorted First Amendment issues with such a ban, and not long afterward the NCAA backed down.
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