The Science of Sports Betting: How Gambling Apps Are Changing Our Brains | with Dr. Brendan Dwyer and Isaac Rose-Berman

The Science of Sports Betting: How Gambling Apps Are Changing Our Brains | with Dr. Brendan Dwyer and Isaac Rose-Berman

Author: The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas September 23, 2026 Duration: 48:03
Legal betting has exploded in the US. With the phone in your pocket, you can bet on the specific outcome of a game or who will attend the next State of the Union address. But legal betting has plenty of controversy, including how it affects sports fandom and the way it’s marketed to young men. Are the concerns overblown or do we need a real plan to address real harm? Two guests join our host Zachary Karabell for this conversation. Dr. Brendan Dwyer is a professor and the director of research at the Center for Sport Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and Isaac Rose-Berman is a fellow at the American Institute for Boys and Men, focused on gambling research and policy.The conversation explores guardrails needed for legal gambling to expand successfully while limiting harm to vulnerable populations. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgSubscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetworkFollow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrkSubscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/

It’s easy to feel that everything is falling apart, but what if the dominant narrative of decline is missing a crucial piece of the story? What Could Go Right? asks that question directly, offering a necessary counterpoint to the daily drumbeat of crises. Hosted by The Progress Network’s Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas, this podcast operates from a simple but radical premise: while the problems are real, so is the human capacity for ingenuity and constructive change. Each episode brings together a diverse group of thinkers, from scientists and activists to policymakers and cultural commentators, for conversations that go beyond diagnosing issues to exploring tangible solutions and underreported advances. You’ll hear nuanced discussions on everything from climate technology and economic innovation to the reshaping of governance and culture, all grounded in a realistic sense of possibility. This isn’t about blind optimism; it’s about engaged, evidence-based hope. Tuning in means joining a community that believes understanding what’s working is just as important as understanding what’s broken. If you’re weary of doomscrolling and looking for substantive dialogue that charts a path forward, this is the podcast for you.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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