{"id":8907,"date":"2021-03-15T09:00:18","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T13:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ncpgambling.org\/?p=8907"},"modified":"2024-01-19T17:59:57","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T22:59:57","slug":"problem-gambling-awareness-month-enters-march-madness-phase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncpgambling.org\/news\/problem-gambling-awareness-month-enters-march-madness-phase\/","title":{"rendered":"Problem Gambling Awareness Month Enters March Madness Phase"},"content":{"rendered":"

NCPG and NAADGS Highlight Addiction and Help<\/em><\/p>\n

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Problem Gambling Awareness Month Enters March Madness Phase<\/strong><\/p>\n

Washington, DC \u2013 <\/strong>The National Council on Problem Gambling<\/a> (NCPG) and the National Association of Administrators of Disordered Gambling Services<\/a> (NAADGS) are working together to highlight potential harms from sports betting and how to address them. With this week\u2019s start of March Madness and the NCAA basketball tournament, people, families and concerned others should be aware that gambling addiction is real. It impacts families and communities as well as the person who gambles. There are many sources of help – treatment works and recovery is possible.<\/p>\n

NCPG and NAADGS joined together nineteen years ago to designate March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month<\/a> (PGAM) because of the popular college basketball event that has people in neighborhoods and offices filling out brackets and placing bets. PGAM is a national awareness campaign modeled after SAMHSA\u2019s National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. Although problem gambling services receive no federal funding, with each passing year more join the hundreds of organizations that participate in PGAM to help the public, bettors and families be aware of the issue.<\/p>\n

\u201cNCPG and NAADGS created Problem Gambling Awareness Month as an annual campaign to focus the public on identifying and helping those affected by gambling addiction,\u201d said Keith Whyte, NCPG Executive Director. \u201cWe leverage March Madness to aid that effort because sports bettors can be especially vulnerable to this problem. Last year the pandemic caused the tournament to be cancelled, but now it is back, starting in a few days. We fully expect calls to our National Problem Gambling Helpline and other helplines to peak during this month and we stand ready to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

In their 2018 ruling<\/a> in the Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for states to legalize sports betting. It is now operational in 20 states and Washington D.C, legalized but not operational in 5 states, and 17 more are considering it so far this year. Altogether, this is the fastest expansion of gambling in the United States ever \u2013 a 500% increase from five states in 2018 to 26, and possibly 42, in just three years. Funding for services in problem gambling have not similarly increased, but each year more states acknowledge the need.<\/p>\n

\u201cStates across the country have decided to expand options for gambling in recent years,\u201d said Stacey Frohnapfel-Hasson, President, NAADGS. \u201cThe need for awareness of responsible gambling practices is more vital now than ever before. As state administrators for problem gambling services, we\u2019re excited to partner with the National Council on Problem Gambling to build awareness of prevention, treatment and recovery services for those in need.\u201d<\/p>\n

The PGAM grassroots campaign brings together a wide range of stakeholders, among them public health organizations, advocacy groups including NCPG state affiliates, and even gambling operators. It\u2019s not too late to participate! The main hub of information can be found at bit.ly\/NCPG-PGAM.<\/a> Visitors will find a wide assortment of materials to support awareness, such as:<\/p>\n