Nov 12, 2024 | ABOUT MNAPG
Three new board members joined MNAPG in July. Each brings a unique background and perspective to our organization. Northern Light asked them about their experience and what they hope to contribute.
Joan Schimml, Director of Public Affairs for the Minnesota Lottery
NL: Can you share a little bit about your background?
JS: As the director of Public Affairs for the Minnesota Lottery, I oversee external and internal communications, social responsibility and legislative affairs. Prior to joining the Minnesota Lottery, I held leadership positions at organizations in various industries (agency, association, corporate, government and nonprofit), including senior director of communications, community relations and marketing for YMCA of the North; director of global public relations and community relations for Trane and Thermo King; and more.
I’ve been very intentional about working in various industries. When I was younger and worked at a PR agency, I had a mentor who said, “When I look back on my career, I wish I would have worked in every industry so I could understand how to best communicate and engage with different audiences.” I really took her advice to heart.
NL: What prompted you to join the board?
JS: The Minnesota Lottery strives to increase awareness of responsible gambling practices, problem gambling warning signs and how to get help if you or a loved one needs it. Working with partners like MNAPG, I look forward to advancing our lottery’s work to serve the community by increasing awareness and providing resources about problem gambling.
NL: What do you hope you can contribute to the board and the mission?
JS: The Minnesota Lottery is committed to preventing problem gambling and encouraging responsible gambling habits. Along with sharing the efforts of the Minnesota Lottery and connecting them with other organizations supporting the industry, I hope my commitment to community service and expertise, as well as my experience in communications, helps advance the work of MNAPG.
NL: Are there particular areas within problem gambling that are of special interest to you?
JS: Increasing awareness of healthy and informed play.
Lisa Vig, Gambling Addiction Counselor at Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota
NL: Can you share a little bit about your background?
LV: I’ve been a gambling counselor since 1991 and am also a licensed addiction counselor, certified international gambling counselor and board-approved clinical consultant. I have 30 years of experience at Lutheran Social Services and have been a provider in Minnesota for close to two decades, as I live in Fargo along the state border.
I have developed an online workbook for adults wanting to confidentially and privately explore their gambling through a program called “Gambler Healing.” I have also provided clinical consultation to providers in Minnesota to help them with problem solving and to be successful in their treatment efforts.
NL: What prompted you to join the board?
LV: I love the providers in Minnesota. Susan does an amazing job and I just wanted to be part of that group, to expand my knowledge base and to offer insights from my experience.
NL: What do you hope you can contribute to the board and the mission?
LV: My 30 years of experience is a long time and I hope that’s valuable in some capacity. I also hope that I can help encourage new ventures and new opportunities that the alliance might want to be part of.
NL: Are there particular areas within problem gambling that are of special interest to you?
LV: I’m concerned about the rapid expansion of gambling and the associated public health concerns. I would like to be part of those solutions. I also hope that I can inspire others to get involved with this work. It’s very rewarding.
Amanda Jackson, Gambling Manager, Spring Lake Park Lions Club
NL: Can you share a little bit about your background?
AJ: After working part-time selling pull tabs, I became a gambling manager with the Spring Lake Park Lions in 2013 and am an active and proud Lions Club member. The funds we earn from our gambling operation are donated directly to the community. As I learned more about the industry, I joined the board of Allied Charities of Minnesota, a trade organization that serves as an advocate and resource to licensed Minnesota charities. I’m currently the vice president of Allied Charities and enjoy all the opportunities over the years I’ve had to advocate for charities doing great work for their missions and communities.
NL: What prompted you to join the board?
AJ: I met with Susan Sheridan Tucker about MNAPG and problem gambling. I realized right away that I have a lot to learn and joining the board will be an excellent opportunity for me to learn and become more involved in the mission.
NL: What do you hope you can contribute to the board and the mission?
AJ: I hope to share my perspective, experience and knowledge about the charitable gambling industry with MNAPG, and learn how to bring awareness to those I work with directly.
NL: Are there particular areas within problem gambling that are of special interest to you?
AJ: I’m interested in the people and the players. I hope that after learning more about problem gambling and the resources available that I’ll be able to help someone. Addiction comes in all different forms and giving someone help and hope is a very important first step.
Nov 12, 2024 | ADVOCACY
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) recently released the first two public service announcements (PSAs) in its 52-year history. Each PSA features a distinct message for a key audience. One highlights the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER) and the other shares tips about playing responsibly if you gamble. You can view the videos at here.
The National Problem Gambling Helpline PSA features a frustrated gambler who receives numerous texts related to a gambling loss, a large cash withdrawal, his daughter’s recital, a marketing promotion on his next bet and, finally, the suggestion from a friend to contact 1-800-GAMBLER. It concludes with his attending his daughter’s recital, seemingly starting on his way to recovery.
“The goal is to educate people that this number exists,” says Cait Huble, director of communications at NCPG. “Research shows that only 45 percent of people know where to get help for a gambling problem. Like any other crisis, the first priority is for people to know that help is available and how to access it.”
The second PSA shares tips for making sports betting safer with those who choose to gamble. It features a referee dropping into a conversation between two people discussing sports wagers. The referee explains that gambling can be fun, but also risky. The referee outlines several tips for safer gambling, including setting a budget, not chasing losses and teaming up with a friend to maintain accountability. NCPG’s responsible play website (ResponsiblePlay.org) is promoted at the end of the message.
Both PSAs are included in free public awareness toolkits made available to all stakeholders and for use within communities. The toolkits, available on the NCPG website (NCPGambling.org), include a full suite of fact sheets and social media assets for download.
Starting in September, NCPG began running paid ad campaigns for both PSAs. Ads appear on social media, YouTube and various other streaming channels. Cait says NCPG hopes to amplify the messages through operators, community health organizations and state affiliates.
There is no current budget for placing the ads on broadcast television, but there’s hope for that in the future.
“We’re excited to release these PSAs” says Cait. “As we receive feedback and learn how people are responding to the messages, we hope there will be opportunities for additional campaigns.”
Nov 12, 2024 | CONCERNED OTHERS, HELP, PROBLEM GAMBLING, RESOURCES
Perhaps no other addiction damages one’s financial resources as much as gambling disorder. Indeed, the ability to regain financial health is a critical aspect of recovery from the addiction.
Recognizing the unique interplay between financial discipline and gambling recovery, MNAPG is excited to share a new and valuable resource for those experiencing issues from gambling — whether for the gambler or a family member affected by the gambler’s behavior. Starting in October, MNAPG began offering specialized financial counseling through the Financial Choice services of LSS Financial Counseling.
This joint effort pairs the financial expertise of LSS counselors with the problem gambling awareness training offered by MNAPG. Those who take advantage of this service will meet with a financial counselor who understands how gambling can negatively impact an individual or family’s finances.
This benefit provides access to six free and confidential financial counseling sessions. These sessions provide the guidance and support needed to address financial challenges brought on by problem gambling and to chart a path forward to financial stability.
The experienced and non-judgmental counselors at LSS Financial Counseling can help:
· Assess one’s current financial situation
· Create a personalized budget and debt management plan
· Develop strategies to avoid future financial pitfalls
· Set and achieve long-term financial goals
Sessions are available in person, by phone or online — whichever is most comfortable. Those interested in taking advantage of this free service should contact LSS Financial Counseling at 800-528-2926 and mention assistance for problem gambling to schedule an appointment. LSS Financial Counseling is an experienced nonprofit, full-service credit counseling agency.
Nov 12, 2024 | RESEARCH
It can be hard to measure the impact of problem gambling prevention and treatment efforts, especially at a time when gambling — and reported instances of gambling addiction — are on a rapid rise. But thanks to the development of a comprehensive database of helpline calls initiated by the California Council on Problem Gambling (CALPG) — in conjunction with TELUS Health — there is now a framework for analyzing data on a granular level.
The database captures California helpline data dating back to 1998. While data was collected voluntarily, meaning not every caller answered questions, the database is exhaustive, amassing approximately 55,000 calls to the helpline. New data is added monthly.
The data, which can be viewed at www.calpg.org/hidd, can be sliced and diced in numerous ways. Some of these aspects include: age; gender; ethnicity; primary gambling preference; caller language; stage of change; education level; age of first gambling experience; and type of gambler (action or escape).
“The value in the database is that we can analyze it based on changes in targeted helpline marketing efforts as well as identify new trends,” says Robert Jacobson, executive director of the CALPG who helped develop the dashboard. For example, Robert noted that the impact of resources aimed at increasing engagement with California’s Hispanic community could be seen in the data through the use of different filters.
Although California gambling helpline data doesn’t necessarily reflect behavior in other states, including Minnesota, it’s likely that the trends are significant. Here are some findings from the data:
· Helpline volume (calls, texts and chats) reached its lowest point in 2020 due to the pandemic. However, total contacts (text, chat and calls) in 2023 increased by 25% compared to 2019.
· Forty-one percent of people in the 46-55 age group chose to enroll in motivational text messaging when given the option, compared to about 38% each in the 26-35 and 36-45 age groups, and 35% in the 18-25 group.
· Only 4.4% of helpline callers reported having a problem with gambling on the lottery in 2009. That has increased to 8.7% in 2024, nearly double.
· Day stock traders represented 0.1% of calls in 2009 but, possibly due to crypto trading, has increased nearly twentyfold to just under 2% of calls year to date.
· Since 2009, sports betting callers have increased from 2.2% to 11.8%, an increase of more than five times, despite sports betting not being legal in California.
· Thirty percent of 5,576 help seekers since 2018 said that playing video games has cost them more time or money than they can afford.
The TELUS data analysis model, first conceptualized by California, has been rolled out to several states, including Minnesota, which has a basic version.
The potential of the database is immense. “Our vision is for the database to be consolidated with as many states as are willing to participate,” says Robert. “That will give us an even better picture of gambling behavior.”
Nov 11, 2024 | RESEARCH
By John Slabczynski
Read the original article on the BASIS HERE.
Despite the growing popularity of gambling, most consumers, operators, and regulators recognize that this activity carries the potential for harm. Research indicates that some types of gambling appear to be more harmful than other types. To reduce harms from gambling, it is important to identify the gambling forms that are most often associated with harm. From there, researchers can work to identify the specific mechanisms that could make these forms more harmful than others and introduce factors to mitigate this risk. This week, The WAGER reviews a study by Virve Marionneau and colleagues that identified the forms of gambling most often referenced by callers of gambling support helplines in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden during the period 2019–2022.
What were the research questions?
(1) Which forms of gambling are most often referenced in calls to gambling support helplines in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden during 2019–2022? (2) Are these rates changing over time?
What did the researchers do?
The researchers collected data from four years of calls and chats to three different gambling support helplines from Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. All three helplines collect data on the types of gambling that clients have engaged in or identify as having led to harm. The researchers coded products into one of nine forms of gambling: (1) land-based sports betting, (2) online sports betting, (3) horse games (online and land-based), (4) land-based casino, (5) online casino, (6) poker, (7) land-based EGMs outside casinos, (8) lotteries, and (9) other. Then they performed linear regression to examine whether these longitudinal trends changed over time during the study period.
What did they find?
Online gambling, and online casinos in particular, constituted the main concerns among callers to all three helplines. Furthermore, the share of calls that referenced online casinos grew in all three nations, while calls focusing on land-based forms decreased. For example, in Denmark, the percentage of calls referencing online casinos rose from 35.7% in 2019 to 46.8% in 2022. At the same time, the percentage of calls focused on land-based sports betting decreased from 23.0% in 2019 to a mere 4.8% in 2022. Interestingly, however, the rate of change in calls relating to land-based sports betting in Finland and Sweden failed to reach statistical significance (see table).
Table: The percentage and total number of helpline calls that referenced selected forms of gambling, by nation of origin and year. The * symbol indicates that the nation experienced a statistically significant change in the percentage of calls referencing that specific form of gambling during the window of observation. The “1” symbol indicates that the relationship was not tested due to violations in the assumptions for linear regression.
Why do these findings matter?
These findings provide insights into which forms of gambling are the most strongly related to harms as reported in helpline calls and can inform both public policy and research priorities. For example, because the authors found that online gambling was most strongly associated with harms, regulators may consider requiring that responsible gambling tools, such as voluntary self-limiting programs, be available on these platforms. Researchers may seek to prioritize studies on online gambling over other forms due to the increased risk of harm and could also consider studying self-reported harm across different types of gambling.
Every study has limitations. What are the limitations in this study?
This study tells us which gambling activities were mentioned in helpline calls, and presumably callers mentioned the games that caused them the most harm; however, the researchers did not measure the severity of callers’ problems. Although online gambling was the most commonly cited form of gambling by callers, it is unclear whether it is associated with a higher magnitude of harm compared to alternative forms of gambling. Furthermore, people who experience problem gambling rarely seek help due to stigma and other factors, so it is unclear how generalizable the findings are to gamblers who do not call the helpline.
Joan Schimml, Director of Public Affairs for the Minnesota Lottery
Lisa Vig, Gambling Addiction Counselor at Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota
Amanda Jackson, Gambling Manager, Spring Lake Park Lions Club
