Apr 10, 2026 | ABOUT MNAPG
The Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling (MNAPG) joins colleagues nationwide in welcoming Heather L. Maurer, MA, CAE, as the new executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). Heather assumed the role on January 7, 2026, bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience in public health, policy and nonprofit management.
Most recently, Heather served as chief executive officer of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, where she strengthened the organization’s financial position by expanding revenue streams, restructuring operations and building sustainable reserves to support long-term growth. Her background reflects a strong focus on strategic leadership, partnership development and advancing public health priorities.
Following a competitive national search, NCPG’s Board of Directors selected Heather for her collaborative leadership style and proven ability to build national partnerships and elevate organizational impact. In her new role, she will guide NCPG’s strategic direction and oversee its national programs, partnerships and advocacy initiatives.
Heather’s priorities include strengthening NCPG’s advocacy presence, expanding collaboration among affiliates and national partners, and advancing policies that prevent gambling-related harm and improve access to support services. She will also support ongoing efforts to enhance the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network and elevate public awareness so that problem gambling is fully recognized within a public health framework.
“I’m honored to join NCPG and build on its strong legacy of leadership in addressing gambling-related harm,” says Heather. “I look forward to working with NCPG’s team, board, members and partners to expand awareness and strengthen prevention and treatment systems.”
State affiliates play a critical role in advancing this work, and MNAPG looks forward to continued collaboration under Maurer’s leadership.
“Minnesota is excited to welcome Heather Maurer to this important role,” says Susan Sheridan Tucker, executive director of MNAPG. “Her varied experience will benefit affiliates across the country. We look forward to working together to strengthen prevention, expand access to services and build a unified national response to gambling-related harm.”
Apr 10, 2026 | ADVOCACY
A Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) grant is helping a Twin Cities broadcaster bring much-needed awareness about gambling addiction to the Latino community through a culturally informed, data-driven campaign.
The five-year grant, renewed annually, supports outreach led by La Raza, which owns two Spanish-language radio stations serving the region. According to president Maya Santamaria, the organization took on the project because the need was clear.
“In our community, there hasn’t been intentional messaging about problem gambling,” she explained. Like other addictions, gambling disorder is often taboo in Latino communities, making it less likely to be discussed openly or addressed early.
Before launching the campaign, Maya and her team met with community leaders to better understand local perspectives and concerns about gambling. They then surveyed the community about their gambling behaviors to get a sense of the extent of problem gambling.
“We wanted data instead of just making assumptions,” says Maya.
The survey results helped shape a comprehensive public awareness campaign designed to meet people where they are. Outreach includes Spanish-language radio segments, social media content, digital advertising, television placements and messaging in online newspapers. Many materials were translated and adapted from MNAPG resources to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance.
The timing of the campaign has presented challenges. Maya noted concerns that Operation Metro Surge, a period of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, might distract community members from the messaging. At the same time, she believes the heightened stress and economic disruption caused by the operation may have increased gambling risk.
“Many people lost jobs or income and were experiencing trauma and uncertainty,” she said. “When people are under that kind of stress, they may look for what feels like a quick way to make money.”
The current phase of the project began in January and runs through June. La Raza will use digital analytics and media performance reports to evaluate the reach and effectiveness of the campaign and share the results with DHS.
By combining trusted community voices, culturally responsive messaging and reliable data, the initiative represents an important step toward breaking stigma and ensuring Latino Minnesotans know that help for gambling problems is available and accessible.
By Bill Stein
Apr 7, 2026 | PROBLEM GAMBLING, RESOURCES
Sweepstakes casinos have grown rapidly in recent years, offering online slot machines, poker and other casino-style games without describing themselves as traditional gambling. While they are often marketed as “free-to-play entertainment,” their structure has raised questions among regulators, public health professionals and policymakers.
How sweepstakes casinos work
At first glance, sweepstakes casinos look similar to real-money online casinos. Players sign up, choose games and spin reels or play table games. The key difference is the use of a dual-currency system.
Most platforms offer two types of virtual coins:
- Gold Coins – used only for entertainment play and have no cash value
- Sweeps Coins – used for promotional games and can be redeemed for cash or prizes
Players typically receive Sweeps Coins as a bonus when they purchase Gold Coin packages. They may also obtain Sweeps Coins through free methods such as daily login bonuses, promotions or mail-in requests (often called an Alternate Method of Entry). Because there is always a free way to participate, operators argue that no purchase is required.
This structure is designed to avoid the legal definition of gambling, which generally requires three elements: prize, chance and consideration (payment). By offering a free entry option, sweepstakes casinos attempt to remove the “consideration” element.
Why many view them as gambling
Despite the legal framing, critics argue that sweepstakes casinos function much like traditional gambling for these reasons:
- Games rely on chance and offer real-world prizes.
- Players often purchase virtual currency in practice, even if technically optional.
- The purchase of Gold Coins frequently includes bonus Sweeps Coins, which can be redeemed for cash, creating a financial incentive to spend.
Regulators have described the two-currency model as a way to disguise paid gambling activity. In Minnesota, officials noted that consumers who appear to be buying entertainment currency are effectively purchasing access to prize-eligible play.
Research and surveys also indicate that many users participate with the intention of winning money, reinforcing concerns that the experience mirrors gambling behavior.
Legal and regulatory concerns in Minnesota
Minnesota has taken a particularly strong stance. In 2025, the Attorney General ordered multiple sweepstakes casino operators to stop offering services in the state, stating that such platforms may violate gambling and consumer protection laws.
State officials emphasized several risks, claiming:
- These sites operate outside Minnesota’s regulated gambling system
- Most are based out of state or overseas, limiting oversight
- Players lack protections such as fair-play audits, reliable payouts or dispute resolution
Because the activity is unregulated, it also generates no state tax revenue and does not contribute to programs typically funded by legal gambling, such as public services or problem gambling prevention.
Why the issue matters
Sweepstakes casinos exist in a legal gray area nationwide, but Minnesota’s actions reflect growing concern. When casino-style gambling operates outside regulatory frameworks, states lose both consumer safeguards and public revenue, while residents face potential financial and behavioral risks.
For policymakers and prevention professionals, sweepstakes casinos highlight a broader challenge: as gambling-like products evolve online, the line between entertainment and wagering becomes increasingly blurred. Clear regulation, consumer education and ongoing monitoring will be critical to ensure that emerging gaming models do not bypass the protections and public benefits that accompany legal, regulated gambling.
Apr 7, 2026 | PROBLEM GAMBLING, RESOURCES, YOUTH GAMBLING
As legalized sports betting and digital wagering continue to expand, gambling has become a routine part of life for many young adults. For colleges and universities, this shift raises an important question: how can campuses help students make informed choices and avoid gambling-related harm?
Dr. Michelle L. Malkin, assistant professor at East Carolina University, is working to answer that question through The Betting Blueprint, a wellness-oriented curriculum designed specifically for students ages 18–24. Her approach combines screening, education, financial wellness and early intervention to reduce risk and support healthier decision-making.
Start with awareness and screening
One of the key messages from Dr. Malkin’s work is that screening should be ongoing, not limited to a single awareness campaign. While March’s Problem Gambling Awareness Month provides an important opportunity for outreach, students engage in gambling year-round. Ideally, campuses host multiple screening efforts, including events early in the fall semester and again in March when March Madness increases betting activity.
Peer-led outreach has proven especially effective. Students are more likely to participate when encouraged by their peers and when screening is quick and accessible, such as through a QR code completed on a phone. Brief screening tools that use clear language like “betting and/or gambling” help identify students who may be experiencing harm and connect them with resources before problems escalate.
Redefining what gambling looks like
The curriculum challenges students’ assumptions about gambling, as many young adults associate gambling only with casinos or money-based games. In reality, gambling includes any activity involving something of value and an element of chance.
Today’s gambling landscape includes, but is not limited to, sports wagering, fantasy sports, prediction markets, loot boxes, esports, cryptocurrency speculation, in-play betting and social gaming features. By broadening students’ understanding, the curriculum helps them recognize behaviors they might not otherwise identify as gambling.
The curriculum also explores why some individuals struggle to gamble responsibly. For certain people, brain responses to rewards can lead to chasing losses, overconfidence or difficulty stopping. Students learn to recognize warning signs such as borrowing money, hiding gambling or continuing despite negative consequences.
Importantly, the focus is not prohibition. Instead, the curriculum promotes lower-risk strategies for those who choose to gamble: setting time and money limits, avoiding gambling when stressed or emotional, understanding the odds and using responsible gambling tools available on many platforms. Students also learn that gambling harms extend beyond the individual, affecting roommates, partners, family members and others.
Financial wellness at the center
Another important aspect of The Betting Blueprint is connecting gambling decisions to financial health. Many students have limited experience managing money, making them particularly vulnerable to overspending on entertainment, including betting.
Through budgeting exercises and real-life scenarios, students explore what financial wellness means and how to give every dollar a purpose. They learn to identify priorities, track income and expenses, and distinguish between appropriate entertainment spending and high-risk funding sources such as borrowed money, financial aid or credit card debt.
A key point is that gambling winnings should never be treated as income. Activities encourage students to track results over time, understand variability and consider how unexpected wins or loses affect long-term goals. The emphasis is on building habits that support stability and reduce financial stress.
Students as problem solvers
A distinctive feature of the curriculum is its interactive design. Small-group activities ask students to respond to common beliefs, such as “I can win back my losses” or “My gambling is under control.” By researching data and developing peer-focused messages, students generate their own solutions rather than being lectured.
This collaborative approach increases engagement and helps shift campus norms around gambling.
Meeting Students at a Critical Time
College campuses provide a unique environment to reach emerging adults during a formative period. Dr. Malkin’s work highlights the importance of integrating gambling awareness into broader wellness efforts, including mental health, substance use prevention and financial education.
As gambling opportunities continue to grow, so does the need for practical, student-centered prevention. With ongoing screening, peer engagement and a focus on financial and personal well-being, The Betting Blueprint offers campuses a proactive way to help students make informed choices and avoid harm—long before problems take hold.
The information in this article was taken from Dr. Malkin’s presentation at the MNAPG conference last November. For more information about the curriculum, please contact Dr. Malkin at malkinm20@ecu.edu.
Mar 31, 2026 | ABOUT MNAPG, ADVOCACY
March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month, and this year MNAPG staff spent the month sharing information about problem gambling as a public health issue across Minnesota and beyond. From radio and TV interviews to newspaper features and podcast appearances, we reached communities statewide with resources, warning signs and support options.
Here is a recap of our media appearances throughout the month:
Radio
WCCO Radio (Appearance 1) — March 3, 2026
WCCO Radio (Appearance 2) — March 16, 2026
WDKE — March 16, 2026
MPR — March 23, 2026
Television
KVRR — March 4, 2026
St. Cloud Live — March 7, 2026
WCCO-TV — March 9, 2026
KAAL-TV— March 19, 2026
KTTC-TV— March 20, 2026
FOX — March 20, 2026 (segment begins at 12:10)
Online and Print
WCCO Online — March 19, 2026
Grand Rapids Herald
Duluth News Tribune (Letter to the Editor) — March 26, 2026
Podcasts
StribSports Daily Delivery, Star Tribune — March 19, 2026 Susan Sheridan Tucker joined host Michael Rand to discuss prediction markets and why platforms operating like sports betting sites are accessible even in states where sports betting is not yet legalized.
MPR News Presents — March 23, 2026 Host Catharine Richert and guests explored the impact of online sports betting and prediction markets on Minnesotans.
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