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| N/A | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMReception | ALL | Welcome Reception |
Desiree Reynolds, EdD; Amy Frederick; Mary Lay
Gambling is becoming more widespread across the country. Research shows that more access to gambling can lead to more problems associated with gambling. In 2021, Indiana conducted the Adult Gambling Behavior Survey to assess the scope of gambling, the prevalence of problem gambling, and awareness of resources. A random sample of 2,700 households was drawn in 2021 and 5,400 in 2022. Data from the 2021 survey revealed that 84% of Indiana adults participated in at least one form of gambling in the past year. These findings, paired with data from 2022, will inform future policy, treatment programming, and prevention-related activities.
Learning Objectives:
Michael Buzzelli; Cory Brown; Deborah Haskins, PhD, ICGC-II, BACC, Clergy Certification; Marc Lefkowitz, ICGC-II
This session will take professional and personal dives into the strategies experts use to answer the question “who cares?” and approaches to having impactful conversations. With panelists from various backgrounds and experiences, personal, moral, and spiritual thoughts on the topic will be discussed as they pertain to the populations served by each panelist. This session will take a holistic look at sports betting and the approaches taken when having personal and professional conversations around the potential impacts across the country, the different populations and communities that may be impacted, and why these conversations are approached with various strategies.
Learning Objectives:
This presentation is an interactive journey and visual exploration into how advocacy from the heart, over two+ decades, has allowed for passionate work and multiple ways to define success. Together the audience will examine the intersectionality of what is needed, how it can be done together, and what the future holds for the fields of gambling, gaming, and the related problems experienced. Finally, it will be an intimate non-linear story of how to keep focused on necessary diverse approaches while practicing self-care.
Learning Objectives:
Family members affected by problem gambling are understudied and rarely provided with treatment services specific to their needs. In California, affected individuals (AIs) can receive no-cost treatment from CalGETS. Last year, 218 AIs entered CalGETS outpatient treatment. Half (53%) identified as a spouse/significant other, 18% as a child of, 11% as a parent, and 7% as a sibling of a gambler. AIs were 43 (mean) years old and predominately female (78%). Additional results describe the treatment provided, demographics, co-occurring disorders, prior treatment experience, AI strategies for managing the effects of the person with gambling disorder, treatment attendance, and treatment outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
Gambling amongst the homeless population is a seldom-explored phenomenon. Outreach to this “invisible community” is almost non-existent. Partnering with a church group to provide food to a homeless encampment in Delaware, the decision was made to bring the food to them. Over a meal at the campfire, a bond is formed over time. Listening to their stories nonjudgmentally, it was ascertained that they engage in gambling (lottery tickets, scratch-offs) in a desperate attempt to win and change their circumstances. By administering DCGP’s Seven Question Screen voluntarily, it was determined that over 90% gamble. As an ongoing process, numerous demographics/ stories will be provided.
Learning Objectives:
Raquel Buari, JD; Jacob Coin; Anika Howard; Matthew Morgan, JD; James Siva; Valerie Spicer
Gaming came to Tribes as a means of economic development and a resource for self-reliance, and with it brought additional challenges, such as addiction, to tribal communities and their neighbors. The socio aspect of the socio-economic impact or benefit has varied definitions. There have been extraordinary advantages and accentuated challenges. When addressing the impacts of gaming, there is an important distinction between Tribal and commercial gaming, one that requires a nuanced approach to address and heal both the Tribal members and their neighbors. This approach requires a recipe of respectful restoration, stability of resources, community acceptance, and traditional healing. Join panelists as they share their Tribal perspectives working to restore communities and individuals while maintaining self-respect and position with respective communities.
Learning Objectives:
Ala Shaikhkhalil, MD; George Hicks; Abdallah Mobaideen
This session will explore the lessons learned while raising awareness of problem gambling within the Arab community of Ohio through a diverse collaborative approach. Arab Americans are undercounted and asked to identify as “White,” creating an “invisible” minority. Problem gambling is prevalent among Arab youth struggling with identity and integration. Conversations about gambling are difficult due to stigma and community messaging. Youth expressed frustration at being told things were “forbidden” and preferred to understand why. This inspired “Let me Tell you Why,” a multi-platform bilingual campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of problem gambling and erase stigma through engaging, factual, and personable content.
Learning Objectives:
It is generally known that the LGBTQ+ community faces addiction at higher rates than the general population. This workshop will provide participants with a richer understanding of LGBTQ+ individuals (including basic knowledge of identities and terms), empirical research to understand the prevalence of LGBTQ+ gambling and problem gambling, and how to use LGBTQ+ cultural competency tools to best work with LGBTQ clients and their families around these issues.
Learning Objectives:
Barbara Rollins; Cole Wogoman, JD; Julia Brunson; Amanda Quintana; Keith Whyte
Join NCPG Staff members for a lightning learning session on current projects and staff roles. In addition to learning more about current NCPG projects and goals, attendees will have an opportunity to absorb micro-skills from staff on a variety of relevant topics. Each micro-learning presentation will last 3-5 minutes and provide attendees with insider-knowledge on several NCPG projects, advocacy, membership, communications, responsible gambling, and NGAGE. The final fifteen minutes of the session will cover the NCPG Legacy Project, a can’t-miss presentation!
Learning Objectives:
This session explores the investigation of the relationship between gambling on the lottery and the zip code where gambling occurs, as well as the influence of individual-level characteristics that predict at-risk or problem gambling (AR/PG) among Massachusetts residents. A GIS analysis was conducted to identify vulnerable areas based on neighborhood characteristics, lottery sales, and AR/PG. Lottery sales aggregated by zip code did not provide an accurate picture of the gambling behavior of residents due to the purchases of nonresidents being attributed to them. An index of community characteristics that increased risk for AR/PG was created to demonstrate improved targeting of resources and interventions.
Learning Objectives:
Elizabeth Showalter; Allyson Auerbach; Jim Wilkerson
In a 2021 survey of Illinoisans, online gambling and sports betting were most common among young men in the Chicago area. Lifetime online gambling was slightly more common among men (27%) than women (21%), and there were no apparent differences by race/ethnicity. Sports betting appeared more common among men and Whites. Sports betting was legalized in Illinois in 2019 and became publicly available in 2020. This survey provides a near baseline as the landscape of gambling continues to shift, providing an estimate of whom this will most impact moving forward and the ability to see population shifts over time.
Learning Objectives:
Join us for the grand finale of the National Conference on Gambling Addiction & Responsible Gambling 2023 as we gather to reflect on the knowledge shared, connect with fellow attendees, and leave inspired to take action. In this closing session, we aim to create a meaningful and uplifting experience that celebrates the connections made, insights gained, and accomplishments achieved throughout the conference.
Reflect, Connect, Inspire is more than just a session; it is a transformative experience designed to leave participants with a renewed sense of purpose and an expanded network of like-minded professionals. Join us in this final gathering as we celebrate the power of networking, forge lasting connections, and leave inspired to make a positive impact in our respective industries.
The New York Council on Problem Gambling (NYCPG) and Problem Gambling Resource Centers (PGRCs), together with their communities, have worked to Shine a light on Problem Gambling. Education, prevention, treatment and recovery surrounding problem gambling are all achievable when communities and professionals partner to bring awareness to the risks of gambling. The staff at NYCPG have worked for three years to encourage statewide and regional participation by lighting landmarks on National Screening Day to highlight the work being done nationwide related to problem gambling.
Learning Objectives:
Lia Nower, PhD, JD, ICGC-II, BACC; Wen Li Anthony, PhD; Jackie Stanmyre
This presentation details findings from an epidemiological study of 3,499 adults, which examined the perceived effect of familial and household participation in gambling, alcohol and drug use. A pathway model demonstrated cross-addiction inter- and intra-generational influences. Gambling by a father, mother or brother; substance use by a sister; and engagement in other behaviors by a brother, sister, grandmother or other household member was related to a higher frequency of participant gambling and higher levels of gambling, alcohol, and drug use problem severity. Findings were more significant for racial/ethnic minority groups. Prevention implications of intergenerational contributions of addictive behaviors will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Free event, registration required HERE
Serving as an entertaining cautionary tale, THIS IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE explores the euphoric heights and crushing depths of being an investor in the age of social media. The film offers lessons on risk, opportunity, and the psychology of money through the stories of four Americans from diverse backgrounds as they navigate their financial futures.
Few studies methodically surveyed relationships between the extent of gambling behavior & consequences of gambling. The primary purpose is to determine the influence of selected personal and perceptual demographic characteristics on the extent of gambling behavior exhibited by female residents of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This study used survey design instruments distributed by hand at selected community organizations. Results revealed a high incidence of gambling behavior among women in Baton Rouge, prevalent among older women. The researcher recommended additional studies identifying specific differences in age groups’ gambling scores, creating old & young compulsive gambling behavior programs.
Learning Objectives:
Lia Nower, PhD, JD, ICGC-II, BACC
Most of us spend a good part of our careers helping people realize there is no such thing as luck, that is, beating the odds or random chance. But maybe we need to refine “luck” as something that happens when opportunity meets preparation. It is the success that can result from countless hours spent relentlessly chasing our goals and persevering with passion in the face of discouragement and adversity. Most importantly, it depends on the wisdom of mentors, the giants who equip us to recognize the advantages that come our way. This presentation will reflect on the path of a lucky scholar and the mentors that made Dr. Nower’s career: the lessons learned, values taught, and the need to credit and pay forward the rewards we experience along the way.
Learning Objectives:
As legislation has moved towards legalizing sports betting in more forms in Ohio, there was a concern that greater access to sports betting in casinos, online platforms, mobile apps, and other outlets could significantly increase the risk for problem gambling in our state. To address this concern, Ohio for Responsible Gambling partnered with Origo Branding to create a new campaign, titled Pause Before You Play, to promote ways that Ohioans can prepare to gamble responsibly when engaging in these new activities, once new forms of sports betting were to be legalized on January 1st of 2023.
Learning Objectives:
Since 2012, gambling has been a prevalent practice for Ohioans. Gambling has evolved due to technological advances and will continue to grow for years. From video games to sports gambling, video gaming to the introduction of the metaverse, gambling across the continuum can come with risks. Presenters will discuss gambling within the metaverse, video games and their relationship with gambling, sports gambling in Ohio, cryptocurrency and its ties to the metaverse, and how Decentraland provides another avenue to gamble.
Learning Objectives:
The recent expansion of gambling, gaming, and online sports betting has been associated with increased problem gambling. To identify prevention opportunities, community partners collaborated to conduct a statewide gambling and gaming needs assessment using three key approaches: an environmental scan, a community readiness assessment, and a survey of young adults ages 18-25. The presenters will discuss how they adapted these assessment approaches for gambling and gaming, the results of the assessment, and the implications for prevention.
Learning Objectives:
The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio (PGNO) partnered with six agencies across the state to consult on integrating Gambling Disorder throughout their services, communications and culture through allocation focus, process improvement and system change. Two of these agencies focused on building support within their community coalitions to integrate and enhance work around gambling-related harm. This Prevention Showcase session will provide a glimpse into the consultation services, training and skill-building that were reported as most effective and impactful in helping change the perception of gambling-related harm among community and coalition members.
Learning Objectives:
This presentation will explore the principles of environmental prevention and how our environments may be influencing youth gambling behaviors. Participants will have an opportunity to hear how young people, in partnership with adult allies, have impacted their communities through environmental prevention best practices.
Learning Objectives:
Barbara Rollins; Leigh Harwood; Elizabeth Thielen; Jaclyn Webber; Alison Wood-Drain
NCPG grant administrators and Agility Grant recipients from the program’s first year will share learnings, reflections and opportunities from the country’s preeminent problem gambling prevention grant program. Grant administrators and panelists will share highlights and preliminary outcomes from the 2022 investments. The cohort will also highlight continuing opportunities for audience members to apply, participate and even partner on this exciting new grant initiative.
Learning Objectives:
Judith McCormick; Anita Costales; John Schmidt
Anyone who makes presentations about gambling in schools and youth detention centers has experienced this: you look at your audience, and the kids sitting up front are paying attention, and the kids sitting at the back are either sleeping, talking to neighbors, or even worse – playing games on their phone. Often these kids have behavior or language problems and have given up on teachers. They tune you out. But aren’t these kids the ones with the most risk factors for disordered gambling that need to be reached the most? Come learn how to reach them using past experiences.
Learning Objectives:
Jonathan Crandall; Sue Parr; David Yeager
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the United States Marine Corps (USMC) are working together to develop and implement an education program to deploy among service members. The goal of the project is to prevent problem gambling and support those struggling. Through the program, USMC Substance Abuse Counseling Center (SACC) staff will be trained to further educate service members. Substance Abuse Counseling Centers will also play a key role in supporting service members in need of additional support. During this workshop, panelists will explore the concerns about gambling among service members, the importance of this training and education program, and the next steps for all partners involved.
Learning Objectives:
“The views presented by Ms. Sue Parr, USMC, are hers alone and do not necessarily represent the official views of Department of Defense (DOD) or any of its components, nor do they expressly or impliedly endorse the National Council on Problem Gambling.”
Alison Wood-Drain; Stephanie Diez-Morel, PhD, IGDC, BACC
The North Carolina Problem Gambling Program integrated the Second Edition of Stacked Deck into a learning management system. Some significant results from Stacked Deck indicated: that 90% of youth were able to identify the signs and symptoms associated with problematic gambling, 95% of youth believe gambling can be as addictive as alcohol or other drugs, 25% positive increase in problem gambling knowledge and attitudes; 27% increase in understanding of gambling history; 23% increase in awareness of gambling fallacies; 29% increase in revealing misconceptions of smart gambling; and a 5% decrease in reported gambling engagement & behaviors including gambling in video games.
Learning Objectives:
The North Carolina Problem Gambling Program (NCPGP) worked cross-sectionally with the NC Department of Public Instruction to put together a presentation delivered to school social workers three separate times at the NC School Social Workers statewide conference. Data was collected in pre- and post-surveys to ascertain knowledge and behavior changes resulting from the intervention. This presentation focused on psychoeducation in gambling, gaming, and digital media use and the importance of media literacy as a prevention tool. The NC School Mental Health Policy and evidence-based universal Social Emotional Learning (SEL) was the driving force behind the connection to create a shared goal and vision for developing students who can critically analyze and create responsible media utilizing evidenced-based SEL and youth prevention curricula. The presentation also helped build the case for school social workers to be a driving force within the school and district SEL teams.
Learning Objectives:
Lindsay Kalbfleisch; Kiia Crawford; Makinna Olmstead; Sasha Stark, PhD
Veterans are a priority population for gambling harm prevention efforts, partly due to gambling exposure and elevated risk of harm. Through facilitated conversation with a panel of military personnel, veterans, and people in relevant support roles, this session will explore the current and ideal states of gambling-focused harm prevention for veterans and key stakeholders who might be well positioned to offer prevention programs and resources. The discussion will be anchored in a short presentation on promising approaches for managing harms within this group and considerations around the intersectionality of risk, particularly among Indigenous and female veterans.
Learning Objectives:
Marc Lefkowitz, ICGC-II; Kitty Martz
Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon have been helping those with a gambling problem and their loved ones for over 65 years. Other self-help support groups include SMART Recovery, Bettors Anonymous, Debtors Anonymous, Emotions Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, Adult Children of Alcoholics & Dysfunctional Families, Recovery Anonymous, All Addictions Anonymous, Recovery Dharma, Recovering Couples Anonymous, and CoDA. There are options for everyone. This workshop will explore the similarities and differences of each Program and demonstrate how participants can help their clients identify recovery options that further their personal growth and support their evolving needs.
Learning Objectives:
Gambling peer support is about developing a culture of positive change, resilience and aspiration. Peer support services provide a structured pathway for individuals with gambling lived experience to receive training, support and personal development mentoring, enabling them to then go on and support others. Both the lead and co-presenter used a form of peer support in their own recovery.
Learning Objectives:
This session will feature a lived experience discussion about the benefits of podcasting as a valuable resource for those seeking and exploring recovery. Participants will be able to analyze the benefits of podcasts, such as normalizing multiple pathways to recovery, reaching a diverse audience, and reducing the stigma around gambling harm.
Learning Objectives:
Ken Martz, PsyD, ICGC-II, BACC
Meditation is a powerful approach to support recovery. While the term is widely used, it is often misunderstood and not properly applied. This session will review research on meditation, its basic principles and techniques, and how it creates change in the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral growth of those served. Specific emphasis will explore how the meditation process parallels the relapse trigger and response pattern to teach a practical approach to establish and grow long-term recovery. Parallels will be drawn for self-care and practice to improve credibility and effectiveness in these techniques.
Learning Objectives:
William Hinman; Kenny Crawford; Carin Miller; James Nowlin; Ken Wolfson
Peer Support is becoming recognized as a specialty requiring certification and is on the rise throughout the nation. Peers working in the behavioral health field have personal, lived experience with addiction or mental health and utilize their success in recovery to help others set their own path of recovery. The Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling provides the only Gambling-Specific Peer Support in the State through outreach and collaboration with behavioral health providers, connecting with help seekers from the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline, and promoting awareness on the risks of gambling with resources for help at community events.
Learning Objectives:
Relapse is defined as the deterioration in health status after improvement. Most people associate relapse with substances and gambling. Relapse carries a heavy weight for individuals in recovery. Learn about some statistics related to gambling, specifically, the different views and even processes of relapse, as well as challenges with addressing relapse. Relapse carries heavy stigmas that tremendously influence those impacted by gambling. Understanding the impact of these stigmas is crucial in providing the best care for individuals. There are ways to address relapses through solutions and helping the individual continue their path and journey.
Learning Objectives:
How does one define “successful recovery”? Is it based on abstinence? Goal achievement? Life balance? Or is it something to be determined and explained in a more nuanced way? This presentation will explore how personal identity, values, and goals can be reinforced or broken down by programs of recovery. This presentation is not about identifying which program is “best”. Nor is there such thing as a “failure in recovery”. But, sometimes, it can be like trying to fit square objects into circular holes. It won’t always be the right fit.
Learning Objectives:
Jeff Marotta, PhD, ICGC-II; Glenn Yamagata
Utilizing data from the Survey of Publicly Funded Problem Gambling Services, a state-by-state risk assessment was conducted to describe each state’s gambling-related threat to public health. The assessment was based on a risk model that factored in state-level data on problem gambling service investment; gaming industry size and scope; problem gambling prevalence rate; and problem gambling services strengths and needs ratings from key informants. The resulting risk-assessment model placed states in relative gambling-related public health threat categories. This presentation will discuss how state policies on legalized gambling, including policies to mitigate gambling-related harm, contribute to the state’s public health.
Learning Objectives:
Alison Kutler, JD; Christian Genetski, JD
Organizational culture is a critical enabler in achieving a company’s goals, especially when it comes to Responsible Gambling (RG). To further FanDuel’s RG mission, it is imperative to first develop a culture of RG within the company. Over the last 12 months, FanDuel challenged itself to look at how to further embed RG into the company’s culture, going beyond regulatory mandates. The journey starts with a robust employee RG training program and internal communications strategy. Beyond building a culture committed to promoting positive play, FanDuel also leverages its unique organizational capabilities to promote RG awareness and education externally.
Learning Objectives:
Amanda Blackford; Brianne Doura-Schawohl; Jamie Hummingbird; David Rebuck; Mary Beth Thomas, JD
In this session, state regulators will discuss their current regulatory concerns. Topics of discussion will include emerging regulatory requirements for sports gambling operators to spot markers of harm; ideas on common sense advertising restrictions; the use of 1-800-GAMBLER in national advertising; and the evolution of restrictions on the term “risk-free” in promotions.
Learning Objectives:
Cory Brown; Alessandro Ciaffoncini; Susan Diamond
Amidst a changing and expanding market, stakeholders across Ohio have set the precedent of joining forces to ensure all Ohioans have access to a full spectrum of services. From responsible gambling through treatment and recovery, everyone has a role. Change starts with effective marketing to reach a mass audience; conversations with key stakeholders lead to increased support, and expanded services support increased access to care. In this session, you’ll hear how Ohio has used personal and professional conversations, effective marketing, and stakeholder engagement, to move the needle on support for issues surrounding sports gambling. Their key to success has been modified and expanded programs to respond to changing markets through stakeholder engagement and data-driven solutions to ensure comprehensive and effective gambling services.
Learning Objectives:
The arrival of online gambling has seen a considerable shift in customer profiles from homogenous land-based customers to a new world of multi-generational, multi-cultural, multi-gendered customers player multiple products across multiple channels and who no longer conform to traditional perceptions of “customer”. In an increasingly diverse world where high-risk players span generations, cultures and products on a case-by-case basis, the old single strategy approach to safer gambling is no longer practical. The session will address how to pivot from the traditional one fits all approach that minimizes harm for some to a more dynamic strategy that aims to protect the many.
Learning Objectives:
The Gambling Act of 2005 deregulated the gambling market in Great Britain and opened the door to gambling advertising – including social media ads. This research investigated over 880,000 gambling ads posted on Twitter and 1 million user profiles to understand which age groups engage with these ads and/or follow gambling accounts. The study included 210 children, 222 young people, and 221 adults to investigate whether Twitter gambling advertising appeals more to children than adults. The results highlight severe concerns concerning the age groups of gambling account followers and the strong appeal the ads have to children.
Learning Objectives:
Alyssa Wilson, PhD; Michelle Malkin, PhD, JD
Self-exclusion (SE) is a voluntary and legal agreement between a person and a gaming operator to prevent entry or access to and collection of wins by the person. The United States does not have a single SE approach or policy, leaving states to develop individualized processes, policies, and legal outcomes for violations. As such, there is no way for clinicians or policymakers to understand effective strategies and policies across states. Therefore, the current presentation will highlight emerging trends from phase one of the SE Project, including an overview of SE processes and procedures across the states.
Learning Objectives:
Long Banh; Bonnie Andrews, PhD
PlayMyWay (PMW) is a first-generation player management tool that offers players a means to budget their play electronically on slot and electronic table machines by tracking their play over specific periods so that they make more informed decisions about their gambling. It first launched at one of the three casinos in Massachusetts in June 2016 and is now available at all three casinos in September 2022. In August 2022, Massachusetts legalized sports wagering. The intention is to migrate PlayMyWay to sports wagering and mobile betting to mitigate harm related to this legalization.
Learning Objectives:
Responsible gambling can be incorporated into a larger sustainability Framework. IGT will discuss how responsible gaming fits into a larger sustainability plan and works cohesively with other areas like Diversity & Inclusion, Community, and Environment. More importantly, IGT will explain why lotteries and operators should consider sustainability and ESG when looking at suppliers. The IGT model takes responsible gambling to the forefront and creates the business case for why sustainability is essential for future revenue growth and how the days of keeping responsible gambling as an entity within the entity are gone.
Learning Objectives:
Heather Wardle, PhD; Rachel Volberg, PhD
The public health community is examining changes needed to regulate gambling in the public interest. Recommendations include shifting focus for the responsibility of harms from individuals to corporations and outlining a range of actions and regulatory principles to facilitate this. The need for systematic global leadership in this area will also be highlighted, including recommendations for transnational organizations like the World Health Organization. Discussions will include the potential application of some of these recommendations to the USA, seeking to discuss the facilitators and barriers to their adoption with the audience.
Learning Objectives:
Janet Miller; Suzanne Bourgeois, JD; Christopher Hebert, JD; Robert Henson
Hosted by Problem Gambling Resource Services, this session will feature a panel of experts, including members of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, the Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling, the Louisiana Department of Health, and the Gaming Division of the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office. The goal is to show how all of these stakeholders must work together to ensure that issues related to problem gambling are addressed and considered when making policies and decisions related to the gambling industry in Louisiana.
Learning Objectives:
Alcohol is frequently available in gambling venues. Furthermore, the literature reports links between alcohol and gambling problems. Consequently, there are some concerns that drinking while gambling will increase risk-taking. However, what is the evidence for this, and how can that evidence inform clinicians, regulators, and the gambling industry? This presentation dives into the research on acute alcohol consumption’s effects on gambling. Included are laboratory evidence on alcohol effects, the relation between these behaviors among frequent gamblers, and an exploration of expectations about alcohol’s influence on gambling. The goal is to clarify the implications for clinical and responsible gambling efforts.
Learning Objectives:
Gregory Below; Kaitlin Brown, ICGC-II, IGDC, BACC; Jennifer Davis-Walton, ICGC-II; Ashley Trantham; Sushmita Upadhaya
Since 1985, the National Council on Problem Gambling has been talking about the National Problem Gambling Helpline. After almost 40 years from its inception, National Problem Gambling Helpline Network Contact Centers are coming together to discuss the importance of state-directed services, the human side of what the Helpline provides, the importance of data and reporting, and what we need to prepare for as demand for problem gambling-specific support soars. During this symposium-style presentation, audience interaction will be encouraged as speakers explore what it means to support the nation’s needs for more problem gambling resources.
Learning Objectives:
The Brief Digital Accelerator Treatment for Gambling (BDAT) (Broussard & DeBrule, 2019) is a free intervention that relies on digital gambling simulations to teach problem gamblers about the long-term financial risks of excessive gambling. The BDAT has been shown to reduce gambling-related beliefs and behaviors in college students (Broussard & Wulfert, 2017) and individuals from the community that engage in risky gambling (Broussard & Wulfert, 2019) and is sponsored by the VA’s South Central Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center. The presentation will overview the BDAT approach, including a new mHealth app that uses the BDAT for relapse prevention.
Learning Objectives:
Numerous physical, psychological and MH benefits of pet interactions have been widely researched and proven. Individuals often struggle with seeking, sustaining and addressing the stigma of behavioral health services, particularly PG, and may benefit from a supplemental innovation that offers incentive and enhancement to traditional programming. Clients may be more invested and committed, knowing they will interact with loving and devoted animals. Animal Assisted Interventions can grow, develop, and improve existing MH, AOD, and gambling services, increasing client interaction, staff productivity, and morale. The research, resources, and information will assist professionals in implementing AAI into their services.
Learning Objectives:
Wen Li Anthony, PhD; Devin Mills, PhD; Lia Nower, PhD, JD, ICGC-II, BACC
Due to the rising concern of problem video gaming and the need for an instrument that can assess this problem in a clinical setting, the DSM-5 has suggested including Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as a possible new behavioral addiction. Several measurement instruments have been developed based on the DSM-5 IGD criteria. This presentation will discuss a systematic review that evaluated 22 IGD measures. While much more work is needed to accurately conceptualize and measure IGD, the present review indicates that the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale – Short Form is the most optimal DSM-5 measure of IGD currently available.
Learning Objectives:
Jamey Lister, PhD; Lia Nower, PhD, JD, ICGC-II, BACC
There has been a rapid increase in gambling access following the legalization of online opportunities. However, gambling treatment and recovery services remain scarce and limited information exists examining how states and regions of the US compare and where gambling service expansion is needed most urgently. Data was gathered from public sources to estimate the availability of three treatment and recovery services: 1) SAMHSA facilities treating gambling, 2) GA meetings, and 3) certified gambling counselors. Availability differences between states and regions will be discussed. These findings can guide state and federal gambling service expansion planning.
Learning Objectives:
Harm Reduction is gaining increasing attention in helping those impacted by use disorders and is gaining organizational support, including from SAMHSA and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Few professionals have received adequate education and training on harm reduction. As a result, harm reduction is often filled with misunderstandings and misinformation that create stigmas towards its evidence-based use. Gambling prevention, education, treatment, and recovery have used harm reduction strategies throughout, and yet it often has not been vocally identified. Learn about what harm reduction is, what it is not, and its role in the gambling profession.
Learning Objectives:
This poster will present the demographic, clinical, and professional characteristics of gambling treatment providers in California. Currently, there are approximately 175 licensed therapists who are authorized to provide no-cost treatment to problem gamblers and affected individuals (spouses, parents, etc. of gamblers) in California. Therapists are allowed to operate within their clinical scope of practice and have the therapeutic freedom to do so. Each year, the UCLA Gambling Studies Program conducts a provider survey collecting extensive data about provider background, training, and activities conducted in treatment. This poster will describe the demographic profiles of these providers, examine the types of therapy offered, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of provider knowledge, training, and experience. Understanding the profiles of gambling treatment providers is critical to workforce development, expanding diversity and equity in treatment, and specifically understanding what therapeutic approaches are utilized in treatment sessions with those impacted by problem gambling.
Learning Objectives:
Jody Bechtold, ICGC-II, BACC; Robert Bumbaco
In 2018, US Supreme overturned the federal ban on states authorizing legal sports betting. Now, 30+ states allow/operate and/or are pending legislation for expanding sports betting. Current prevalence reports suggest college-aged students, particularly male student-athletes, may be more at risk for developing a gambling disorder. In 2012, 26% of male student-athletes reported violating NCAA bylaws by wagering. Highlighting risk factors, reviewing limited evidence on sports betting with student-athletes, and discussing evidence-informed treatment strategies to help attendees work more effectively with individuals that sports bet and how to use past athletic experience to better connect with clients.
Learning Objectives:
Deborah Haskins, PhD, ICGC-II, BACC, Clergy Certification; Cassandra Belton; Neva Pryor
Historical through present-day reports of the prevalence of systemic racism and its impacts on psychological health (Comas-Diaz, et al., 2019; Haskins, In Press; Rowe, 2020). Many persons experiencing gambling-related harm attempt to “escape” from the harsh impacts on their mental and physical health. How can persons heal the psychological, spiritual, physical, and cognitive negative effects of conditions they have no control over? How can community members seeking our services experience radical healing (French et al., 2020) when many health professionals have never been trained on racial trauma interventions?
Learning Objectives:
Jackie Stanmyre; Wen Li Anthony, PhD; Lia Nower, PhD, JD, ICGC-II, BACC
This presentation will detail findings from two studies with a sample of more than 2,300 mental health providers. Study 1 details the level of gambling-related knowledge of providers by demographic groups. Study 2 explores the gambling habits of providers, including problem gambling symptoms and their awareness of their behavior. Results of bivariate and regression analyses found that providers had limited gambling-related knowledge. In addition, 30% of providers gambled at high frequency. About 5% reported at least one problem symptom, but more than half of that group denied that they gambled. Implications for treatment will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Angela DiRosa; Carolyn Hawley, PhD
Virginia and New York State have experienced a rapid proliferation of available legal forms of gambling, bringing about the need for providers in these states to examine and reconfigure how they support individuals reaching out for help and making connections to treatment services. During this workshop, attendees will hear from two states who have taken innovative approaches to develop new partnerships, reaching individuals in need and supporting those in need of services.
Learning Objectives:
This workshop provides an overview of the prevalent issues impacting mental health among marginalized and underserved communities, presents information to help providers to understand cultural issues relevant to treating persons of color, and examines how programs can develop processes to monitor and access efforts to incorporate cultural humility and cultural responsiveness.
Learning Objectives:
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