NBC Nightly News Full Episode - April 8

>>> TONIGHT, THE TRADE. WAR SET TO EXPLODE IN. JUST HOURS. THE MAJOR MARKET RALLY. IN THE MORNING FADES. THE DAY ENDING WITH. ANOTHER BIG LOSS ON. WALL STREET. AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP. SAID HE'LL RAISE HIS. TARIFFS ON GOODS. IMPORTED FROM CHINA TO. 104%, WHAT THAT COULD. MEAN AND HOW CHINA IS. REACTING, AND. CHRISTINE ROMANS ON. THE COUNTDOWN TO. MIDNIGHT, AND THE. PRICE YOU COULD PAY. TOM LLAMAS BREAKS DOWN.

HOW EVERYTHING FROM. SNEAKERS TO. SMARTPHONES TO THE. POPULAR NEW VIDEO GAME. CONSOLE COULD SURGE IN. COST. >>> THE MOMENT THE. ROOF OF A NIGHTCLUB IN. THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. CAVED IN, KILLING. DOZENS OF PEOPLE. INSIDE, INCLUDING A. ONE-TIME MAJOR LEAGUE. BASEBALL STAR. THE DECEMBER PAT. FOR SURVIVORS. >>> THE SUPREME COURT. HANDS PRESIDENT TRUMP. WINS ON KEY TWO ISSUES. SAYING HE DOES NOT. HAVE TO REINSTATE. FIRED FEDERAL WORKERS. AND CAN KEEP USING. WARTIME POWERS TO. DEPORT ALLEGED GANG.

MEMBERS TO A PRISON IN. EL SALVADOR. >>> PLUS, YOUNG MEN. AND ONLINE SPORTS. BETTING. THE GROWING CONCERNS. OVER THE RISKS OF. ADDICTION. >> WHEN I SAY SEVERE, THE GOOD NEWS. TONIGHT ABOUT WINNING. WITH CLASS. THE HUG THAT SHOWED. THE WORLD THE MEANING. OF SPORTSMANSHIP. >> Announcer: THIS IS. "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH. LESTER HOLT" . >>> GOOD EVENING, AND. WELCOME. THE TRADE WAR. ESCALATING TO NEW. HEIGHTS TONIGHT AS. PRESIDENT TRUMP'S. LATEST ROUND OF TARIFF. THREATS ARE HOURS AWAY.

FROM BECOMING REALITY, INCLUDING THE TEST. TIT FOR TAT LEVIES ON. CHINESE GOODS WHICH AT. MIGHT WANT WILL BRING. TARIFFS ON CHINESE. PRODUCTS NTERING THE. U.S. TO A CUMULATIVE. 104%. AND WITH THE CLOCK. ALSO TICKING DOWN ON. PRESIDENT TRUMP'S. ACROSS THE BOARD. TARIFFS ON DOZENS OF. OTHER COUNTRIES, THE. WHITE HOUSE IS. SIGNALING THERE ARE. POTENTIAL ALS TO BE. MADE SAYING MANY OF. THOSE COUNTRIES ARE. ALREADY REACHING OUT. A WAVE OF OPTIMISM. SENT MARKETS SOARING. AT THE OPEN BEFORE A.

DAYS' LONG SELLOFF. RESUMED. THE DOW ING 320. POINTS FOR THE DAY. LOSSES TOO FOR THE. NASDAQ AND THE S&P 500. WHICH CLOSED BELOW 1. TO 00 FOR THE FIRST. TIME IN A YEAR. CHRISTINE ROMANS. STARTS US OFF. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, MORE WHIPLASH ON WALL. STREET. THE DOW UP NEARLY. 1,500 POINTS BEFORE. CLOSING DOWN 320. AND THE S&P 500 AND. THE NASDAQ DOWN TOO. ALL AS WE'RE HOURS. AWAY FROM A NEW ROUND. OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S. TARIFFS ON IMPORTED.

GOODS. >> WE HAVE BEEN RIPPED. OFF AND ABUSED BY. COUNTRIES FOR MANY. YEARS WITH THE TARIFF. SITUATION. THEY'VE USED TARIFFS. AGAINST US. >> Reporter: THOUGH. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS. IT'S OPEN TO. NEGOTIATION FOR. COUNTRIES LOOKING TO. LOWER NEW U.S. TARIFFS. FOR THEIR PRODUCTS, SAYING 70 COUNTRIES. HAVE REACHED OUT TO. FAR. >> BRING US YOUR BEST. OFFERS AND HE WILL. LISTEN. DEALS WILL ONLY BE. MADE IF THEY BENEFIT. AMERICAN WORKERS AND. ADDRESS OUR NATION'S. CRIPPLING TRADE. DEFICITS. >> Reporter: NOW IT'S. A GLOBAL SCRAMBLE TO.

STOP POTENTIALLY. DISRUPTIVE BORDER. TAXES. >> WE'RE DOING VERY. WELL AND IN MAKING. WHAT I CALL TAILORED. DEALS. THESE ARE HIGHLY. TAILORED DEALS. RIGHT NOW JAPAN IS. FLYING HERE TO MAKE A. DEAL. SOUTH KOREA IS FLYING. HERE TO MAKE A DEAL. AND OTHERS ARE FLYING. HERE. >> Reporter: BUT. TONIGHT, THAT TRADE. WAR WITH CHINA STILL. FLARING, FOLLOWING. TARIFFS AND. RETALIATION ON BOTH. SIDES. AFTER MIDNIGHT, CHINA. WILL FACE A 104%. BORDER FEE ON ITS. GOODS TO THE U.S.

CHINA'S FOREIGN. MINISTRY CALLING IT. BULLYING AND. BLACKMAIL. >> I THINK IT WAS A. BIG MISTAKE, THIS. CHINESE ESCALATION. >> Reporter: THE. TREASURY SECRETARY. URGED COUNTRIES NOT TO. RETALIATE IF THEY WANT. A DEAL. >> DON'T ESCALATE, AND. THEN WE WILL SEE WHERE. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS. AFTER A PERIOD OF DAYS. OR WEEKS. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, MOST REPUBLICANS. BACKING THE. PRESIDENT'S EFFORTS TO. BRING BACK AMERICAN. JOBS. >> THIS HAS BEEN A. TILTED PLAYING FIELD. FOR A LONG TIME. THE PRESIDENT'S TRYING. TO EEB IT OUT. I THINK HE'S DOING THE. RIGHT THING. >> Reporter: THE. DEMOCRATS WARNING THE. PRESIDENT'S ACTION. COULD TRIGGER A.

RECESSION. >> DONALD TRUMP SHOULD. IMMEDIATELY REVERSE. HIS RECKLESS TRADE. WAR. >> Reporter: AND. TONIGHT, NEW SIGNS OF. DIVISION IN THE. ADMINISTRATION AFTER. THESE COMMENTS TR TOP. TRADE ADVISER PETER IN. A VAR ROW ABOUT ELON. MUSK. >> ELON'S A CAR. MANUFACTURER, BUT IT'S. NOT A CAR. MANUFACTURER. HE'S A CAR ASSEMBLER. HE WANTS THE CHEAP. FOREIGN PARTS AND WE. UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT. WE WANT THEM HOME. >> Reporter: MUSK WHO. HAS VOICED SKEPTICISM. ABOUT TARIFFS, FIRED. BACK CALLING NAVARRO A. MORON POSTING, WHAT HE. SAYS HERE IS.

DEMONSTRABLY FALSE. TESLA HAS THE MOST. AMERICAN-MADE CARS. NAVARRO IS DUMBER THAN. A SACK OF BRICKS. THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE. FEUD TODAY. >> LOOK. THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY. TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO. HAVE VERY DIFFERENT. VIEWS ON TRADE AND ON. TARIFFS. BOYS WILL BE BOYS, AND. WE WILL LET THEIR. PUBLIC SPARRING. CONTINUE. >> AND BACK TO THE. MARKETS, CHRISTINE. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY. TOUGH FEW DAYS. >> YEAH, LESTER. IN JUST FOUR DAYS, THE. STANDARD HAS TUMBLED. THE LOWEST IN A YEAR.

INVESTORS RATTLED BY. THE NEW TARIFFS TOO. START IN A FEW HOURS, AND CONSUMERS LIKELY. TO BEGIN FEELING. HIGHER COSTS WITHIN. WEEKS, LESTER. >> IT'S CLEAR BY THOSE. SWINGS WE SAW IN THE. MARKET TODAY. WALL STREET IS HOLDING. OUT HOPE FOR A DEAL. SOON. >> ABSOLUTELY. INVESTORS ARE. DESPERATE FOR THIS. TURMOIL OVER TARIFFS. TO BE RESOLVED AND. THEY WILL LIKELY LATCH. ONTO ANY KIND OF A. SIGN WHICH IS WHY. SOMETIMES THEY MAGNIFY. EVEN THE SMALLEST. SIGNALS FROM THE. ADMINISTRATION, LESTER. >> CHRISTINE ROMANS, THANKS. >>> FOR MORE ON THE. IMPACT OF THE TARIFFS, I'M JOINED BY TOM.

LLAMAS, AND EXPERTS. SAY THE PRICES ON. EVERYTHING FROM CARS. TO TOYS COULD GO UP. >> THAT'S RIGHT, LESTER. IF TARIFF FEES ARE. FULLY PUSHED ON. CONSUMERS, THE PRICE. TAG FOR SAY, SNEAKERS. MADE IN VIETNAM COULD. JUMP 40%. AN iPHONE COULD JUMP. $350. TONIGHT WE THOUGHT WE. WOULD TAKE A CLOSER. ALONG AT A SINGLE. PRODUCT, NINTENDO'S. SWITCH 2 CONSOLE SET. FOR RELEASE JUNE 5th. NINTENDO HAS SOLD 150. MILLION SWITCHES. THE NEW VERSION WOULD.

BE THE FIRST MAJOR. GAMING RELEASE SINCE. THE TARIFF. ANNOUNCEMENT. PREORDERS WERE. SUPPOSED TO START. TOMORROW, BUT INSTEAD. THE COMPANY HIT THE. PAUSE BUTTON. THEY'VE DECIDED TO. ASSESS THE POTENTIAL. IMPACT. >> THEY GOT TO FIGURE. OUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING. TO GET CHARGED. DO THEY CHARGE 50%. MORE? DO THEY CHARGE DOUBLE? DO THEY EVEN SHIP. THEM? >> Reporter: THE. CURRENT PRICE FOR THE. NEW NINTENDO SWITCH, $449. IRONICALLY TO KEEP. PRICES DOWN, NINTENDO. HAD MOVED SOME OF ITS. SWITCH 2 PRODUCTION TO. VIETNAM BECAUSE OF.

EARLIER TARIFFS ON. CHINA, BUT VIETNAM IS. NOW FACING ITS OWN 46%. TARIFF. HOW MUCH OF THIS IS. MADE IN THE U.S.? >> NONE OF IT. >> NONE OF IT. >> THE REALITY IS FOR. THESE TARIFFS, IT IS A. GUT PUNCH FOR EVERY. ELECTRONIC. NINTENDO BEING THE. FIRST CASE BECAUSE. THEY'RE EARLY IN TERMS. OF THE SWITCH. THIS IS BASICALLY AN. ECONOMIC ARMAGEDDON. COMING TO TECH. >> Reporter: IVES SAYS. THIS ISN'T A REALISTIC. OPTION. >> HOW MUCH WOULD IT.

COST THEM TO START. MANUFACTURING SWITCHES. HERE IN THE U.S.? >> TENS OF BILLIONS OF. DOLLARS. >> BILLIONS? >> Reporter: THAT'S. BECAUSE OF A SUPPLY. CHAIN THAT'S BEEN. BUILT OVER DECADES. >> IT WOULD TAKE FOUR. TO FIVE YEARS TO EVEN. BUILD AND GET DONE A. FACTORY HERE IN THE. U.S., AND THE REALITY. IS THE ASSEMBLY, AND. THE SUPPLY CHAIN IS IN. ASIA. IF YOU BUILD A FACTORY. HERE IN THE U.S., WHERE ARE YOU GETTING. ALL THE PARTS FROM? STILL IN ASIA. >> Reporter: NINTENDO. SAYS IT REMAINS ON. TRACK FOR A JUNE 5th. RELEASE. IN YOUR ESTIMATION, HOW MUCH OF WHAT WE. BUY IS GOING TO GO UP?

>> 90% OF WHAT WE BUY. AS CONSUMERS LIVING IN. THE UNITED STATES IS. GOING TO GO UP, AND I. THINK THE U.S. CONSUMER DOESN'T. REALIZE THE STORM. THAT'S COMING, BUT. THEY'LL BE SEEING IT. OVER THE COMING WEEKS. AND MONTHS IN THOSE. PRICES. >> TOM, THIS IS. FASCINATING, BUT. THERE'S A BIG CAVEAT. HERE. >> YEAH, LESTER. THERE IS A BIG CAVEAT. AND THAT'S THAT THE. PRESIDENT HAS THE. POWER TO EXEMPT. COMPANIES FROM THOSE. TARIFFS. IT HAPPENED IN THE. FIRST TRUMP TERM. IT'S UNCLEAR IF IT. WILL HAPPEN IN THIS. TERM. IT HASN'T HAPPENED. YET, BUT HE HAS THE. POWER TO IMPOSE.

TARIFFS, BUT ALSO TO. EXEMPT SOME COMPANIES. >> ALL RIGHT, TOM. LLAMAS, THANKS. >>> TONIGHT, A. DESPERATE SEARCH FOR. SURVIVORS AFTER A ROOF. COLLAPSED AT A. NIGHTCLUB IN THE. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. DOZENS ARE DEAD. INCLUDING A FORMER. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL. PLAYER. MORE THAN 160 PEOPLE. INJURED. PRISCILLA THOMPSON HAS. LATE DETAILS. >> Reporter: PAIN AND. HEARTACHE IN THE. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. TONIGHT AMID AN URGENT. SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS.

THIS NIGHTCLUB KILLED. MORE THAN 66 PEOPLE, WITH MORE THAN 160. OTHERS INJURED. WE HAVE TRUST IN GOD. WE WILL RESCUE MORE. ALIVE IN THE RUINS, THE PRESIDENT SAID. RESCUERS SEEN HERE. FROM ABOVE, COMBING. THROUGH THE MASSIVE. PILE OF BROKEN. CONCRETE AND METAL, SEARCHING FOR ANY. SIGNS OF LIFE. LOVED ONES WAITING. ANXIOUSLY OUTSIDE, SCANNING LISTS OF. NAMES, HOPING FOR. NEWS. WE DIDN'T SEE HER. NAME, ONE RELATIVE. SAID. SHE'S STILL IN THERE. THIS VIDEO APPEARS TO.

SHOW THE MOMENTS JUST. BEFORE THE ROOF CAVED. IN, SEEMINGLY. UNSUSPECTING PATRONS. ENJOYING A NIGHT OUT. AT JET SET CLUB. THEN A LOUD CRASH AND. SCREAMS. OFFICIALS HAVE NOT. SAID WHAT CAUSED THE. FATAL COLLAPSE. THE DISASTER UNFOLDING. DURING A PERFORMANCE. BY A SINGER, RUBY. PEREZ WHO OFFICIALS. SAY IS AMONG THE DEAD. THE SHOW ATTENDED BY. POLITICIANS, ATHLETES, AND MORE. PHOTOS OF THE SCENE. SHOW THE FALLEN ROOF.

IN PIECES, CRUMBLING. CEMENT WALLS, AND. PIEMS OF DEBRIS. A GOVERNOR IN THE DR. DIED IN THE COLLAPSE, CALLING THE PRESIDENT. FROM UNDER THE RUBBLE. ACCORDING TO THE. COUNTRY'S FIRST LADY. ALSO KILLED, FORMER. MLB PLAYERS, TONY. BLANCO AND OCTAVIO. THE METS HOLDING A. MOMENT OF SILENCE AT. TONIGHT'S GAME TO. HONOR THEIR FORMER. TEAMMATE AND ALL THE. VICTIMS. TONIGHT, A COUNTRY IN. MOURNING AS ALL. GOVERNMENT RESOURCES. ARE DEPLOYED TO. CONTINUE THE DESPERATE. SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS.

PRISCILLA THOMPSON, NBC NEWS. >>> WE TURN NOW TO THE. GROWING MEASLES. OUTBREAK IN WEST TEXAS. WHERE CASES HAVE. SURPASSED 500. THE NEWS COMES AFTER A. SECOND UNVACCINATED. CHILD DIED IN THE. STATE. OFFICIALS THERE ARE. RECOMMENDING INFANTS. GET THEIR FIRST DOSE. OF THE MEASLES VACCINE. BEGINNING AT 6 MONTHS. INSTEAD OF WAITING. UNTIL THEY TURN 1. MORE THAN 600 PEOPLE. HAVE BEEN INFECTED. WITH THE RAPIDLY. SPREADING VIRUS. NATIONWIDE THIS YEAR, BUT DOCTORS SAY THAT. NUMBER IS LIKELY AN.

UNDERESTIMATE. >>> NOW TO THOSE LEGAL. VICTORIES FOR THE. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. AT THE SUPREME COURT. INCLUDING THE JUSTICES. RULING PRESIDENT TRUMP. CAN KEEP USING WARTIME. POWERS TO DEPORT. ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS. HERE'S GABE GUTIERREZ. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION IS. TOUTING TWO LEGAL. VICTORIES AT THE. SUPREME COURT. THE JUSTICES ALLOWING. THE FIRING OF 16,000. PROBATIONARY FEDERAL. EMPLOYEES TO GO. FORWARD, AT LEAST FOR. NOW. PART OF THE WHITE. HOUSE'S EFFORTS TO. DOWNSIZE THE. BUREAUCRACY, AND IN.

ANOTHER WIN OVERNIGHT, THE HIGH COURT ALSO. ALLOWING PRESIDENT. TRUMP TO USE THE ALIEN. ENEMIES ACT TO DEPORT. ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS. TO EL SALVADOR FOR. NOW. >> WE HAVE JUDGES THAT. ARE OUT OF CONTROL, THAT SAY, BRING THEM. BACK. WE DON'T WANT THEM. BACK. >> Reporter: A LOWER. COURT JUDGE HAD. TEMPORARILY BLOCKED. THE PRESIDENT FROM. USING THOSE WARTIME. POWERS FOR DEPOR PAGS. FLIGHTS. >> THE HIGHEST COURT. IN THE LAND MADE IT. CLEAR THAT THE. PRESIDENT OF THE. UNITED STATES HAS THE. POWER TO PROTECT OUR. HOMELAND AND FORCIBLY. REMOVE FOREIGN.

TERRORISTS WHO POSE A. GRAVE THREAT TO. FAMILIES AND. COMMUNITIES. >> Reporter: BUT. MIGRANT ADVOCATES CALL. THE VICTORY A. TECHNICALITY. THE JUSTICES ALSO. RULED DEPOR TEES MUST. RECEIVE ADVANCE NOTICE. AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO. LEGALLY CHALLENGE. THEIR REMOVAL. >> THE GOVERNMENT. CANNOT TAKE PEOPLE AND. PUT THEM ON PLANES TO. EL SALVADOR IN PRISON. WITHOUT ING THEM. THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO. TO COURT. >> Reporter: ALSO, THE. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND. SECURITY IS NOW. REVOKING THE LEGAL. STATUS OF NEARLY A. MILLION MIGRANTS WHO. WERE RELEASED INTO THE. U.S. DURING THE BIDEN.

ADMINISTRATION, USING. A PHONE APP CREATED TO. MAKE ASYLUM SCREENING. APPOINTMENTS. >> THE RULES AT THE. TIME WEREN'T FAIR. THE RULES WERE. DANGEROUS TO. AMERICANS. >> MEANWHILE, GABE, YOU HAVE SOME NEW. REPORTING OF THE. PRESIDENT'S POTENTIAL. NEW EFFORTS TO TARGET. MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS. >> Reporter: YES, LESTER. NBC NEWS HAS LEARNED. THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION IS. CONSIDERING LAUNCHING. DRONE STRIKES ON DRUG. CARTELS IN MEXICO. THAT'S ACCORDING TO. SIX CURRENT AND FORMER. OFFICIALS WITH. KNOWLEDGE OF THE. MATTER. THE U.S. SAYS THOSE. CARTELS ARE. RESPONSIBLE FOR. TRAFFICKING DRUGS.

INCLUDING FENTANYL, AND DISCUSSIONS ARE AT. AN EARLY STAGE. TODAY MEXICO'S. PRESIDENT SAID SHE. WOULD REJECT ANY OF. THOSE ACTIONS. LESTER? >> GABE GUTIERREZ, THANK YOU. >>> IN 60 SECONDS, THE. YOUTH SOCCER COACH. CHARGED WITH A MURDER. OF A 13-YEAR-OLD. PLAYER. >>> PLUS, THE CHILLING. NEW. >>> THERE ARE NEW. QUESTIONS TONIGHT INTO. THE DEATH OF A. 13-YEAR-OLD CALIFORNIA. TEEN. HIS YOUTH SOCCER COACH. BEING CHARGED WITH.

MURDER. L.A. DISTRICT ATTORNEY. SAYING THE DEATH. PENALTY IS NOT OFF THE. TABLE. OUR MORGAN CHESKY HAS. MORE. >> Reporter: INSIDE A. LOS ANGELES COURTROOM, SOCCER COACH MARIO. EDGARDO GARCIA-AQUINO. WILL SOON HEAR FORMAL. MURDER CHARGES AFTER. BEING ACCUSED OF. KILLING ONE OF HIS OWN. PLAYERS. OFFICIALS SAY THE. UNDOCUMENTED. 43-YEAR-OLD IS ACCUSED. OF KILLING 13-YEAR-OLD. OSCAR OMAR HERNANDEZ. >> THE HERNANDEZ. FAMILY, YOU HAVE OUR. DEEPEST SYMPATHY. >> Reporter: THE D.A.

STRESSING THE DEATH. PENALTY REMAINS AN. OPTION AS. INVESTIGATORS PIECE. TOGETHER A DISTURBING. TIMELINE. PROSECUTORS ALLEGE. GARCIA-AQUINO KILLED. HERNANDEZ ON MARCH. 28th AFTER HIS FAMILY. SAYS THE COACH HIRED. HIM TO DO HOUSEWORK, BUT OSCAR NEVER. RETURNED. BY MARCH 30th, FAMILY. REPORTED HIM MISSING. AUTHORITIES DISCOVERED. THE BOY'S BODY TWO. DAYS LATER, DUMPED IN. A NEIGHBORING COUNTY. [ SPEAKING IN A GLOBAL. LANGUAGE ]. >> Reporter: OSCAR'S. BROTHER BREAKING DOWN. SHARING HE DIDN'T.

DESERVE THIS. NOW THE Y'S. PRESSING AUTHORITIES. ON WHAT GARCIA-AQUINO. WAS STILL COACHING. AFTER TWO OTHER TEAMS. PREVIOUSLY ACCUSED HIM. OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. >> YOU GOT TO BE. CAREFUL NOW. WHOEVER YOU GO OUT. WITH, EVEN THOUGH YOU. TRUST THEM, YOU NEVER. KNOW. >> Reporter: NOW AS A. MEMORIAL FOR THE. MURDERED TEEN GROWS, AUTHORITIES URGING. OTHER POTENTIAL SEXUAL. ASSAULT VICTIMS TO. SPEAK OUT. >> YOU MAY BE HERE. UNDOCUMENTED. WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK. ABOUT THAT. PLEASE, YOU NEED TO. COME FORWARD.

>> Reporter: AND IN. ADDITION TO THOSE. MURDER CHARGES FOR. GARCIA-AQUINO, LATE. TODAY, THE D.A. ANNOUNCING THEY'RE. ALSO ADDING CHARGES. FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT. AGAINST A MINOR SAYING. HIS NEW ARRAIGNMENT IS. SET FOR APRIL 30th. LESTER? >> MORGAN CHESKY, THANKS. >>> WE ARE BACK IN A. MOMENT WITH OUR. IN-DEPTH REPORT ON THE. GROWING CONCERN OVER. YOUNG MEN AND THE RISE. IN ONLINE SPORTS WET. BETTING. >>> WITH THE MARCH. MADNESS TOURNAMENTS.

NOW OVER, SO TOO IS. AMERICA'S BIGGEST. BETTING EVENT OF THE. YEAR. AN ESTIMATED. $3.1 BILLION WAGERED. ON THE MEN AND WOMEN'S. GAMES COMBINED. AS AARON McLAUGHLIN. REPORTS, THERE ARE. GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT. JUST HOW PREVALENT. SPORTS BETTING HAS. BECOME, ESPECIALLY FOR. YOUNG MEN. >> Reporter: WHEN. ONLINE SPORTS GAMBLING. WENT LIVE IN OHIO AT. THE START OF 2023, VICK SAYS HE LIKE A. LOT OF YOUNG MEN, STARTED PLACING BETS. ON SPORTING EVENTS. THROUGH APPS. OCCASIONALLY FOR SMALL. AMOUNTS, AND FOR FUN.

>> IT WAS THE NEW. LEGAL THING TO DO. EVERYONE WAS TALKING. ABOUT IT. THERE WERE. ADVERTISEMENTS. EVERYWHERE. >> Reporter: HE HAD NO. IDEA HOW SERIOUS A. PROBLEM THE GAMBLING. WOULD BECOME FOR HIS. CLOSE FRIEND, XAVIER. >> HE ONLY SHOWED ME. TIMES HE MADE MONEY, AND WHEN HIS BETS WON. >> Reporter: THOUGH. THE REASON FOR HIS. DEATH CAN'T BE KNOWN. FOR SURE, TWO DAYS. AFTER 28-YEAR-OLD. XAVIER PLACED THIS. $10,000 SPORTS BET AND. LOST, HE TOOK HIS OWN. LIFE. NBC NEWS IS. WITHHOLDING XAVIER'S. FULL NAME AT THE. REQUEST OF HIS FAMILY.

FOR PRIVACY REASONS. >> HE WAS A BIT FRUGAL. WITH HIS MONEY. WE WOULD GO OUT FOR. DRINKS AND HE WOULD. ONLY WANT TO GO DURING. HAPPY HOUR BECAUSE. THERE WERE DEALS. >> Reporter: IN 32. STATES PLUS D.C., PLACING A BET IS AS. SIMPLE AS OPENING UP. AN APP ON YOUR PHONE. RESEARCH SHOWS NEARLY. HALF OF ALL HIGH-RISK. PROBLEM GAMBLERS ARE. BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18. AND 34, AND TWICE AS. LIKELY TO BE MEN. THAT SAME STUDY FROM. RUTGERS UNIVERSITY. FOUND THAT 20% OF. HIGH-RISK PROBLEM. GAMBLERS HAVE. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. >> I FELT LIKE I WAS.

JUST IN THE DARK. HIDING FROM MYSELF. >> Reporter: ROB SAYS. HE WENT INTO DEBT SIX. TIMES OVER THE COURSE. OF SIX YEARS BEFORE. FINALLY HANDING. CONTROL OF HIS BANK. ACCOUNT OVER TO HIS. MOM AND GETTING HELP. WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAD. A SEVERE GAMBLING. ADDICTION? >> ABSOLUTELY. WHEN I SAY SEVERS I'M. TALKING GAMBLING EIGHT. HOURS A DAY, WAKING UP. THINKING ABOUT THE. BETS YOU PLACED THE. NIGHT BEFORE. >> Reporter: HE NOW. WORKS FULL-TIME AS AN. ADVOCATE TO STOP WHAT. HE BELIEVES IS A. GROWING NATIONWIDE. CRISIS. >> E'LL SEE HUGE. RATES OF BANKRUPTCIES.

AND DIVORCES. >> Reporter: AT WHAT. POINT DO YOU THINK. PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY. WILL WAKE UP? >> WHEN ENOUGH PEOPLE. HAVE KILLED. THEMSELVES. >> Reporter: THE. AMERICAN GAMING. ASSOCIATION TELLS NBC. THAT IT'S FAR SAFER. SAYING THAT TWO. OF-THIRDS AFFORDS. CONSUMER PROTECTION, AND SUPPORTS. RESPONSIBLE GAMING. INITIATIVES AND OFFERS. PROBLEM-SOLVING FOR. THOSE WHO NEED IT. XAVIER'S FAMILY SHOWED. HIS RECORDS INDICATED. HE LOST MORE THAN. $40,000 IN JUST 17. MONTHS OF BETTING. SOME OF THOSE.

HIGH-STAKES BETS. SEEMINGLY ENCOURAGED. BY A HIGH-STAKES. SPORTS BETTING COMPANY. INCLUDING TEXTS TO. XAVIER FROM AN ACCOUNT. MANAGER OFFERING HIM. FREE GAME TICKETS WITH. CLUBS ACCESS, ADDITIONAL PROTECTED. BETS AND ADVICE FOR. WAYS TO DEPOSIT LARGER. CASH AMOUNTS INTO HIS. BETTING ACCOUNT. >> THEY DON'T KNOW THE. PERSON. THEY JUST SEE IT AS. ANOTHER DOWNLOAD. >> Reporter: A YEAR. AFTER HID S DEATH, HIS. PHONE STILL GETS TEXTS. PROMOTING BETS FROM. ONLINE GAM BLING SITES.

GOOD TEAMMATE GOES. BEYOND THE JERSEY. SAM BROCK, NBC NEWS. >> ONE OF MANY GREAT.