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World Cup Betting Boom Draws Younger Americans Into Online Wagering — But Most Are Losing Money, Says Study

Juan Oliveros
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World Cup Betting Boom Draws Younger Americans Into Online Wagering — But Most Are Losing Money, Says Study

Online betting surged across the United States this summer, fueled in part by the FIFA World Cup and a growing appetite for sports prediction markets, according to a study released this week.

The number of first-time online betting users increased by more than three times in June and July compared with January, a study by the Bank of America Institute said. Overall participation through traditional sportsbooks and prediction markets rose by about 40 percent, or 4 in 10, in July from the start of the year.

Younger Americans were driving the surge, the study said, with Gen Z and Millennials comprising nearly 9 in 10, or 88 percent, of online betting activity in July. Gen Z’s number has overtaken Millennials’ for the first time this summer.

The World Cup gave betting platforms a major boost during what is usually a quieter period for U.S. sports wagering. 

Prediction markets, such as Kalshi and Polymarket, also grew alongside conventional sportsbooks. But behind the betting boom was the reality that most users were losing money.

Data showed customers typically received less than 75 cents for every dollar they topped up to betting platforms. However, Gen Z bettors performed fairly well compared to older groups, but still failed to recoup their money.

The financial gap was also reflected in the household’s bottom line. Households that participated in online betting had median deposit-account balances just 59 percent of those of households that did not.

New Mexico caught in the betting debate

The surge is also being felt in New Mexico. Sports betting at tribal casinos is restricted to people 21 and older, while prediction-market apps generally allow participation beginning at 18.

State and tribal officials have raised concerns about whether prediction markets such as Kalshi are operating within the state’s regulatory framework.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez and several Native American tribes filed lawsuits this summer challenging Kalshi. These lawsuits raised concerns about violations of tribal gaming compacts and state sovereignty.

The reaction to the betting explosion was mixed. At Uptown Sports Bar in northeast Albuquerque, one regular described sports betting as “a great way to lose money.“ Another customer said disciplined bettors can earn.

Betting operators expect another surge as the NFL season kicks off. Prediction markets are riding the surge, drawing in a younger crowd and expanding fast. 

New Mexico Sues FEMA for $61 Million Over National Guard Response to Fire Burn Scar Left by the 2022 Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire

Juan Oliveros
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New Mexico Sues FEMA for $61 Million Over National Guard Response to Fire Burn Scar Left by the 2022 Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire

New Mexico sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the U.S. District Court, seeking over $61 million to fund the ongoing National Guard operations involving flood control, debris cleanup, among others, in a burn scar left by the 2022 Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. 

FEMA’s Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon Fire Claims Office has already turned down the claim twice. The first rejection came in 2024 after the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management submitted it. FEMA denied it again after an appeal.

The dispute started in April 2022, when two U.S. Forest Service prescribed burns got out of control and merged, burning 341,471 acres across four northern New Mexico counties.

Heavy rain in the burn scar area has led to flooding and debris flows.

Lujan Grisham sent the National Guard to help with evacuations, debris removal, and flood damage prevention. “Northern New Mexicans shouldn’t have to worry about their safety every time it rains,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

She said residents were first harmed by a fire caused by federal action. And these residents are now facing what the governor described as federal resistance to funding the ongoing response.

“It’s unconscionable that FEMA refuses to pay for a National Guard response that must continue for many years due to federal negligence,” she said. The work may continue until around 2034.

Congress established a special compensation program under the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act. 

The program approved over $5 billion to help residents, businesses, and state and local governments affected by the fire and subsequent flooding, with an initial release of $2.5 billion in 2022, prioritizing claims from families and businesses most affected by the disaster. It had distributed about $3.8 billion by late August 2026. 

The National Guard’s claim is one of several disputes between New Mexico and FEMA. State officials say 22 other state claims, totaling about $128 million, are still pending.

The state filed the lawsuit on September 8, but FEMA has yet to comment on the claim.

‘Anger and Questions’: Tijeras Family Wants Answers After 1-Year-Old Dies at New Mexico Early Learning Academy

Gregg Morgan
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‘Anger and Questions’: Tijeras Family Wants Answers After 1-Year-Old Dies at New Mexico Early Learning Academy

A family continues to seek answers after their one-year-old son died at a Tijeras daycare. Responders reportedly found the child “unconscious and not breathing.”

The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office said deputies went to the New Mexico Early Learning Academy on Wednesday afternoon. They responded to an emergency call involving the child.

The daycare remained empty Thursday after closing for the week. Family friend Deborah Lovato said the boy’s parents are still in shock as they grieve his death.

“The mother and father have not returned to work naturally, so it’s hitting the household. You know, not just physically, mentally, financially-it’s all of the above. Their emotions are with a roller coaster,” Lovato told KOB 4.

Lovato said the family is still waiting to learn what led to their son’s death. She said an autopsy could help shed light on what happened. 

Questions Remain Over What Happened Before Child’s Death

Lovato said the family wants to know what happened at the day care before the boy died.

“It really was, and it was like, well, where was the staff at this daycare?” Lovato said, “Like, why don’t they know the Heimlich maneuver for infants? Like, don’t they? There was just so much anger and questions, and they were angry too.”

BCSO has not confirmed what caused the baby’s death.

Lovato said losing an infant is an especially tragic experience for a family.

She remembered the boy as a happy baby who laughed and was eager to learn new things. 

“He would laugh. He was learning, you know, just different stuff, to clap. And you know, we have one on Facebook that he’s laying down, and they’re just tickling him, and he’s laughing like he was just an amazing baby,” Lovato said. “He’s gonna be missed. That’s for darn sure.”

Lovato said they will be holding a fundraising event for the family Sunday at Oasis Event Center. The fundraiser will run from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Transportation Officials Urge New Mexico Lawmakers to Provide Funding for Deteriorating Roads Amid Expiring Federal Funding, Rising Construction Costs

Juan Oliveros
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Transportation Officials Urge New Mexico Lawmakers to Provide Funding for Deteriorating Roads Amid Expiring Federal Funding, Rising Construction Costs

New Mexico’s transportation officials are urging lawmakers to provide more funding for deteriorating roads amid the expiration of major federal infrastructure funding and rising construction costs.

A 2026 report from TRIP found that 56 percent of major roads maintained by the state and local governments in New Mexico are in poor or mediocre condition.

The national transportation research nonprofit estimates that rough roads add about $1,043 a year in vehicle operating costs for the average New Mexico driver. Statewide, the costs are roughly $1.6 billion.

At the same time, the New Mexico Department of Transportation has identified approximately $7.5 billion in projects related to safety, reliability, and preservation, a significant increase from the about $1.3 billion shortfall identified in 2017. These projects, however, are unfunded.

Expiring federal funding

The expiring federal infrastructure money puts extra pressure on the state’s funding challenge.

The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided New Mexico with about $2.5 billion over five years for road and bridge projects. That funding was set to expire around September 30, 2026.

Transportation officials and industry representatives have told lawmakers that projects have already been identified and planned, but funding remains a limiting factor.

They have also pointed to rising construction costs as another challenge. 

The Federal Highway Administration’s highway construction cost index increased by about 45 percent from 2022 to 2025, reducing the amount of work that can be completed with a given amount of funding.

Pressure on traditional revenue sources

New Mexico’s traditional funding sources, including gasoline taxes, are under pressure as vehicles become more fuel-efficient and electric vehicles become increasingly common.

NMDOT generally does not rely on ongoing general-fund appropriations for its core operations, making transportation funding especially important to the department’s long-term planning.

The state has already approved a $1.5 billion bonding package for transportation projects, supporting priority work. But it is only part of the estimated $7.5 billion in unfunded needs.

The issue is how lawmakers will close that gap while maintaining roads and bridges that are already deteriorating.

Nearly 2 Million Gallons of Oil and Gas Waste Spilled Across New Mexico This Year, Watchdog Says

Juan Oliveros
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Nearly 2 Million Gallons of Oil and Gas Waste Spilled Across New Mexico This Year, Watchdog Says

More than 1.9 million gallons of oil and gas waste have been reported spilled across New Mexico so far in 2026, with more than half of the reported pollution occurring on public and Tribal lands, according to an analysis by WildEarth Guardians.

Melissa Troutman, Climate & Health Advocate for the environmental group, presented the findings to the New Mexico Legislature’s Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee ahead of its September 11 meeting in Paguate.

The analysis is based on state oil and gas spill records and builds on WildEarth Guardians’ ongoing review of spills, penalties and cleanup requirements.

The group said that, in its analysis, produced water, the wastewater generated during oil and gas production, was the most commonly spilled liquid.

Despite its name, produced water can contain salts, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, radioactive materials, and numerous chemicals, according to WildEarth Guardians.

The group is particularly concerned about plans to expand the treatment and reuse of produced water without first addressing what it says are gaps in state and federal regulation.

“New Mexico doesn’t make oil and gas companies follow the same hazardous and radioactive standards as other industries,” Troutman said. “Before lawmakers entertain new ways to spill and dump oil and gas waste around New Mexico, we need to close loopholes to ensure companies, not taxpayers, are the ones paying for the full cost of cleanup.”

Warning from West Virginia

WildEarth Guardians pointed to the federal cleanup of the Fairmont Brine produced-water treatment facility in West Virginia as an example of the potential costs when an operator can no longer pay for remediation.

The Environmental Protection Agency has removed more than 1,000 tons of radioactive solids, 72,000 gallons of radioactive liquids, and 46,000 gallons of hazardous liquids from the site. Federal taxpayers have contributed $3.1 million to the response after the operator folded.

Rebecca Sobel, Climate & Health Program Director for WildEarth Guardians, said New Mexico should ensure companies remain responsible for the waste they generate.

“If companies want to produce billions of gallons of contaminated waste, the liability belongs to them,” Sobel said. “It should not be transferred to taxpayers, communities or the public lands and waters New Mexicans depend on.”

WildEarth Guardians is urging lawmakers to remove hazardous- and radioactive-waste exemptions affecting oil and gas operations, strengthen liability requirements, penalize repeat polluters and consider companies’ compliance histories when evaluating new permits.

Troutman said the state should make pollution a factor in regulating oil and gas operations. “Make pollution count, and make polluters pay,” she said.

Houston Man Arrested for Alleged Offenses Involving a Child After Leading Santa Fe Police on Brief Chase

Gregg Morgan
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Houston Man Arrested for Alleged Offenses Involving a Child After Leading Santa Fe Police on Brief Chase

Authorities arrested a man from Houston after he allegedly attempted to meet a child for sex and fled during a traffic stop.

Santa Fe police identified the suspect as 47-year-old Gabriel Garcia. Officers arrested him on Thursday afternoon following a Special Victims Unit internet crimes investigation.

Police said the investigation started after Garcia communicated with an undercover detective he believed was a child. According to them, he acknowledged that the child was underage, and still showed a desire to commit sexual crimes.

Authorities said Garcia traveled to Santa Fe. He allegedly tried to meet the child on the south side of the city after arranging to pay for a sexual act.

When detectives tried to halt Garcia’s vehicle, he reportedly fled, leading to a brief chase with officers.

Police said Garcia tried to enter the northbound lanes of Interstate 25 after passing a vehicle on the shoulder. A uniformed officer then used a Pursuit Intervention Technique to stop Garcia’s vehicle and take him into custody.

According to authorities, the investigation also found that Garcia had an outstanding Illinois warrant. The case involved sexual assault/aggravated criminal sex abuse of a victim between 13 and 16 years old.

Santa Fe police said Garcia faces eight counts of child solicitation by electronic device and one count of sexual exploitation of children by prostitution. He also faces one count of attempted criminal sexual penetration of a minor in the first degree and one count of aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer.

Authorities will book Garcia into the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Center.

New Mexico Small Businesses Can Apply for STEP Grants to Boost International Sales; Applications Open October 1

Gregg Morgan
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New Mexico Small Businesses Can Apply for STEP Grants to Boost International Sales; Applications Open October 1

The Economic Development New Mexico (EDNM) recently announced an opportunity to help companies expand into overseas markets. Small businesses looking to increase international sales can apply for the 13th cycle of the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP).

The STEP program assists businesses with foreign trade show booths, trade missions, and business matchmaking opportunities. It also supports global website optimization, international market research, foreign product registration, and training. The federal government funds the initiative, while state governments administer it.

This latest opportunity comes alongside a new impact report. The findings cover companies that received STEP grants during the last round, which ran from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2025. These businesses reported more than $1 million in aggregate export sales.

How STEP Has Helped Small Businesses 

“These STEP grants are one of our best tools to help New Mexico’s small businesses, while expanding global trade at the same time,” said EDNM Secretary Rob Black. “The success of this program demonstrates what’s possible when we invest directly in our businesses and give them the tools to compete on a global stage.”

The New Mexico Trade Alliance serves as EDNM’s public-private partner for expanding the state’s global trade and investment opportunities. It has managed the STEP program on behalf of the department since 2021. 

During the last STEP cycle, the state awarded $200,000 in grants to 29 companies across New Mexico. More than one-third of the recipients operated outside the Albuquerque metro area, and more than 20% operated in rural communities.

Participating companies said the funding helped them retain 146 jobs and create 16 new ones. During the grant period, 16 businesses made new export sales, while more than 80% reported increased international brand awareness. The companies also reached new markets across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

How to Apply for STEP

The latest grant cycle, known as STEP 13, will open for applications on October 1, 2026.

To qualify, your company must meet these requirements:

  • Be registered with the state of New Mexico
  • Offer goods or services with at least 51% U.S. content
  • Have operated for at least one year
  • Employ 500 or fewer people

The New Mexico Trade Alliance will host a free STEP orientation webinar on September 24 at 1 p.m. The session will help interested companies learn more about the program and the application process. Businesses can register here.

Mark Zuckerberg Grilled Over Facebook Privacy Promise as Jury Hears Testimony in New Mexico’s Second Trial Against Meta

Juan Oliveros
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Mark Zuckerberg Grilled Over Facebook Privacy Promise as Jury Hears Testimony in New Mexico’s Second Trial Against Meta

Mark Zuckerberg was put on the spot over a promise he made about Facebook users’ personal data over a decade ago as a New Mexico jury heard his virtual testimony Thursday.

The Meta founder was questioned about a 2010 Washington Post op-ed in which he assured Facebook users that the social media giant “never shares your personal information with people or services.”

More than a decade later, prosecutors are challenging that claim in New Mexico’s second trial against Meta.

The Cambridge Analytica controversy began with an apparently harmless personality quiz, in which people who took it provided information that could then expose data linked to their Facebook accounts and, under the platform’s rules at the time, information associated with some of their friends.

That information was ultimately obtained by Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm that worked on campaigns and became closely associated with data-driven political targeting during the 2016 election.

The controversy exploded after reports revealed that Facebook data had been harvested and used to target political advertising.

Zuckerberg testified virtually as prosecutors pressed him on what Facebook told users about how it handles their personal information.

Their questioning came after jurors saw an email from a Facebook executive acknowledging that the company did share personal data.

Asked about the apparent contradiction between his public statement and Facebook’s internal discussions, Zuckerberg described the issue as a matter of nuance.

“These are very nuanced points,” he said in a deposition played for jurors, adding that Facebook had debated how to communicate its “basic beliefs” about data sharing.

New Mexico is seeking civil penalties and changes to Meta’s policies governing users’ personal information.

AI Safety Warning Puts New Mexico Lawmakers On Alert as Researcher Says Companies Are ‘Gambling With Our Lives’

Juan Oliveros
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AI Safety Warning Puts New Mexico Lawmakers On Alert as Researcher Says Companies Are ‘Gambling With Our Lives’

New Mexico lawmakers are weighing the risks of increasingly capable artificial intelligence after an Anthropic researcher warned that AI companies were “gambling with our lives.”

Jacob Coxon, who has worked at both Anthropic and OpenAI, recently resigned from Anthropic over questions surrounding AI safety. In a warning that has drawn attention in Washington, Coxon said companies were “gambling with our lives.”

The warning comes after Anthropic disclosed Thursday that it had blocked attempts to misuse its AI in ways that could have supported the development of biological weapons.

The incident has renewed questions about how AI systems could be misused and whether additional safeguards are needed as the technology becomes more capable.

New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat, said the potential benefits of AI must be accompanied by attention to its risks.

“AI’s rapid advancement could deliver immense opportunities,” Heinrich said. “But this is a real warning, and we need to take it seriously.”

Heinrich called for “clear guardrails” to ensure AI is developed and used safely, ethically and in the public interest.

Sen. Ben Ray Luján, another New Mexico Democrat, also called for Congress to act.

“With AI becoming more powerful, it is vital Congress act swiftly to ensure guardrails and defenses are put in place,” Luján said.

Luján pointed to his bipartisan TEST AI Act, which would direct the federal government to build testbeds for evaluating AI systems. He said Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory support the work, which he described as having the technical expertise and computing resources needed for the effort.

Luján also said he has cosponsored legislation addressing transparency, risk assessment and accountability for the most powerful AI systems.

What is at stake?

At the heart of the debate is how to test and control AI systems as their capabilities grow.

The Anthropic incident provides a concrete example of the concern. According to the company, it blocked attempts to misuse its AI in ways that could have supported biological-weapons development.

That raises questions about how AI systems might be used by people seeking to carry out harmful activities—and about what safeguards should be in place to prevent such misuse.

The challenge lawmakers face is determining what protections are necessary while allowing AI research and development to continue.

Heinrich’s call for “clear guardrails” and Luján’s emphasis on testing, transparency, risk assessment and accountability point to the same central issue: how to make increasingly capable AI systems safer and more accountable.

The warning from Coxon and Anthropic’s disclosure has put that question into sharper focus for New Mexico’s congressional delegation.

The debate now facing lawmakers is not simply about what AI can do. It is about what safeguards should be in place when the technology is used—and how those safeguards can keep pace with its growing capabilities.

Los Lunas Man Arrested After Allegedly Admitting He Fell Asleep While Driving in Fatal Arizona Crash

Gregg Morgan
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Los Lunas Man Arrested After Allegedly Admitting He Fell Asleep While Driving in Fatal Arizona Crash

Authorities arrested a Los Lunas man who allegedly admitted to falling asleep while driving. His actions allegedly caused a crash that claimed the lives of a young family of four in Arizona.

Twenty-one-year-old Jesse David Lovato is facing charges in connection with the crash on Arizona State Route 260, about four miles west of Heber. 

Around 12:31 p.m. on September 7, his eastbound GMC pickup truck collided with a westbound Nissan sedan. The collision killed all four family members in the sedan. The victims were Giovanni Huerta and his wife, Kiah, both 26, and their two sons, aged four and two.

Authorities said Lovato was returning from Phoenix when the crash occurred. He allegedly told authorities that he fell asleep while driving. He claimed he woke up when the crash happened and his truck rolled over.

Authorities said they found marijuana and cannabis vape pens “in and near” Lovato’s truck. He also allegedly told them he smoked marijuana the night before the crash. One officer also noticed signs of impairment. Samples allegedly showed the presence of cannabis in his system.

Lovato remains in the Navajo County Jail on four counts of manslaughter and two counts of aggravated assault. His two passengers are in the hospital in Phoenix after sustaining serious injuries.

Detectives from the Arizona Department of Public Safety Vehicular Crimes Unit lead the investigation. A GoFundMe campaign has also been launched to support the family.

Brant.One will continue updating this article as more information becomes available, helping readers stay informed about the latest developments.

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