ADVOCACY Archives - Page 8 of 9 - Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling

Update on Sports Betting Legislation

Jun 2, 2021 | ADVOCACY

This year, three sports betting bills were introduced at the Minnesota legislature. None of the bills contained satisfactory consumer protection language and NPGA supplemented each bill with extensive language to insert in the bills. Due to COVID and disinterest from the tribal nations to move forward with sports betting, the bills have not progressed. Many of the tribal nations are taking their time to understand the full impact of legalizing sports betting and the potential benefit and ramifications to their communities. Given the rapid pace at which so many states and sports leagues are moving to align with sport betting licenses and cultivate new revenue streams, it appears that it’s only a matter of time before Minnesota passes some sports betting legislation. Sports betting has now been legalized in over 20 states plus the District of Columbia with many permitting online betting. As this type of gambling continues to grow, we need to ensure that players minimize their risks and have the resources they need should their gambling become a problem.

NPGA Participates in Problem Gambling Awareness Month Activities

Jun 2, 2021 | ADVOCACY

NPGA participates in this effort each year, creating its own campaign as well as tapping into the messaging that NCPG offers. Daily postings were made to NPGA social media pages throughout the month. This year’s NPGA’s efforts were its most comprehensive awareness campaign to date. With the creative assistance of Preston Kelly, a Minneapolis advertising agency, several different campaign messages were created and distributed to radio, billboards, and digital and social media. Preston Kelly helped us develop three distinct personas that formed the focus of our campaign: the problem gambler, the concerned other and the influencer. While these were not “new” personas to us, the manner in which specific demographic and other marketing data was utilized enabled us to pinpoint our target audiences with tailored messaging. We also paired up with KFAN radio’s Dan the Common Man. As a person in recovery, he understood the importance of our messaging. Dan’s on-air conversation typically includes discussion about game odds and brackets, particularly during March Madness when so many wager on the college basketball tournament. This allowed us to communicate a timely reminder to people about how to approach their gambling responsibly and how to recognize when it might be becoming an addiction. We also created a special URL so that we could track visitors to our website. We are in the process of reviewing that data so we can assess and fine-tune future efforts.

During March, we also made a special effort to reach out to mental health and addiction treatment providers to remind them to screen for problem gambling. We reminded them to talk to their clients about all the activities they are engaged in. Gambling addiction often occurs when there’s a history of addiction to drugs and alcohol, or when there is depression and anxiety. NPGA offered scholarships to 14 providers for training through NCPG’s Washington state affiliate, The Evergreen Council. This training informed counselors about fast-changing sports betting, the increase in online gambling and the convergence of gambling disorder and gaming disorder. NPGA’s executive director, Susan Sheridan Tucker, participated in two podcasts during PGAM. Susan appeared on Voices of Problem Gambling Recovery, an Oregon- based podcast, along with Krystal Smith to detail NCPG’s effort for PGAM. She also was invited to chat with Brian Hatch of All In. These podcasts can be found on the Resources page of our website. NPGA launched its new website (NorthstarPG.org) just in time for PGAM. Many thanks to Evans-Stark Design, Bill Stein, Tiffany Roufs and Linda Bisdorf (who we temporarily brought out of retirement for some extraordinary proofreading) for bringing everything together. It was truly a team effort and we’re quite pleased with the results. We hope you take the time to explore the site, and we would love to hear your feedback. Our goal is to enable the visitor to easily access the information they need from a vast knowledge base.

Margaret’s Story

Jun 2, 2021 | ADVOCACY, PROBLEM GAMBLING, STORIES

I never gambled — or really knew much about it — until a friend suggested we go out and gamble for fun. We were both looking for a way to escape our hurts. I had just gotten divorced from an alcoholic husband and my friend had recently become a widower. I also suffered depression associated with MS, and a gambling outing helped me escape that. Gambling allowed us to forget about everything. I didn’t have to talk to anyone. I started with maybe $60 per outing but it escalated. Eventually, I couldn’t stop. I would always need another $100 bill. My friend (who later became my second husband) could sometimes go home making a few hundred dollars, but I never could.

I would gamble for any reason — to celebrate a good day or to help raise my spirits from a bad day. Eventually, after 11 years of gambling, I started thinking I had a gambling problem. I told my husband that I thought I had a problem, but he didn’t believe me. Neither did my in-laws, whose vacations frequently included considerable amounts of gambling.

Once I determined I needed help to keep me from gambling, I explored options. I was hesitant to join a group because I had a poor experience with Al-Anon back when I sought ways to cope with my then- husband’s alcoholism. I ultimately found a program online that I ordered for $99. I figured I could do the program in the privacy of my own home and figured it had to have value given its cost. Unfortunately, not being particularly savvy with computers, I needed help setting up the program. I didn’t expect that the person I would call for computer help would be a therapist, but that’s what happened. The person I ended up talking to, Dawn, would become the therapist who would lead me out of the darkness of gambling addiction. After helping get the program set up, Dawn gently asked some additional questions. Why did I want the program? How serious was I? Had I looked into alternatives? Dawn then said she would check on me in a few weeks to see how I was doing. That started us down the path of telephone counseling, something she was able to get covered by insurance. I really connected with Dawn, and found myself wanting to follow the program because I didn’t want to disappoint her. She was also the first therapist I had who knew anything about gambling and could explore the connection between gambling and depression. One thing that I’ve learned about gambling addiction that’s different from other addictions is the randomness of the reward. Someone who drinks or uses drugs knows the impact it will have on them — they will get drunk or high. But gambling is so unpredictable. You could do five spins and win hundreds or lose hundreds. That unpredictability is something gambling addicts love.

I am doing well in my recovery. I lost my second husband to cancer but have not gone back to gambling. I have worked too hard to throw away my freedom from gambling. COVID, and the related restrictions, has also actually helped me. Even when things reopened, my husband and I were too afraid to go back to the casinos. As part of my recovery, I told my adult children about my gambling problem. That was a big deal to me. It feels so good to spend the money that I previously spent on gambling on my children and grandchildren instead. I take them out for dinner, get them birthday gifts and spend more time with them. That, not gambling, now means the world to me.

What’s In a Name: Might the Renaming of Massachusetts’ Council Be the Way of the Future?

Feb 23, 2021 | ADVOCACY, HEALTHY PLAY, PROFESSIONALS

In September, after nearly 40 years, the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling (MCCG) changed its name to the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health (MACGH). Northern Light discussed this change and its implications with Marlene Warner, executive director of MAGH.

Q: Why was the organization renamed? Marlene Warner A: We started talking about this around four years ago. For starters, the term “compulsive gambling” was antiquated. We also became involved with GameSense, which meant we were more focused on the full spectrum from prevention to recovery rather than just intervention. We also heard increasingly from people at casinos and on social media, helplines, etc., about the blurring of lines between gaming and gambling. Since iGaming takes place on the casino floor it made sense to talk about “gaming,” which is more of an all-encompassing term. The “health” aspect of our name reflects that we do more than just intervention — we also want to look at the larger public health implications. The intention of the name is to not only expand our mission but also to designate what we’re truly doing as an organization. Q: Was there a tipping point in the decision to change the name? A: It was a gradual thing but in the last two years as we’ve realized the blurred lines between gaming and gambling, so have gaming commissions. Congress has even held hearings on gaming. It became clear to us that this was the next wave and we didn’t want to miss it. Q: What has the response been to the name change? A: For the most part, everyone has been incredibly supportive. They thought it was appropriate and future-focused. Q: Have you made any changes to your training since the name change? A: The very first thing we did was to work on a certificate program and clinical training program to broaden counselor and clinician knowledge of video gaming in a clinical setting. We want to make sure they’ve been prepared so that when someone presents with a gaming problem, they know how to respond. Q: How is Massachusetts handing gaming disorder? Are counselors encouraged to take the INTENTA training? (INTENTA is the first approved training provider for the new International Gaming Disorder Certificate (IGDC) by the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board). A: The training that we’re putting together is sort of a competitor to INTENTA. It’s another option that is a little shorter and less expensive. We are collaborating with the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling and the course is called Foundations in Gaming Disorder. As with INTENTA, it will qualify for international board certification. Q: Do you plan to measure the impact of the name change, whether through changed attitudes or diminished stigma around gambling disorder? A: For now, we’re just collecting anecdotal feedback. But a year from now, we’ll want to know we’ve done the right thing. I think we’re gaining a lot of traction. We’re also in the process of putting together a major national study with gambling and gaming stakeholders with major universities. That, alone, has been well received. Q: Do you think other state councils will make similar name changes? A: Several fellow state councils have asked us how to do it. Many of us were trained on the idea of calling it “gambling” rather than “gaming” so it takes some fresh thinking. It’s not a change to be done lightly.

Millions in ‘Sin Taxes’ Flowing into Minnesota’s coffers during COVID-19 Pandemic

Nov 28, 2020 | ABOUT MNAPG, ADVOCACY, PROBLEM GAMBLING

Recovering Problem Gambler Leads Way Through Recovery

Aug 17, 2020 | ADVOCACY, RECOVERY

Jess Stewart’s desire to become an advocate for problem gamblers was born while he was at Project Turnabout for residential gambling treatment in 2016. Four years later, he’s proven to be a highly motivated, steadfast voice for those afflicted with gambling disorder.

After graduating from Project Turnabout, Jess returned to his native Ohio (Jess was unable to find residential treatment in Ohio). He immediately sought out organizations involved with problem gambling to determine how he might contribute as an advocate.
Jess soon forged a connection with the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio (PGNO), signaling the start of a great new journey. He subsequently attended national conferences and recovery meetings, became a PGNO board member, participated in a symposium for Recovery Resources in Cleveland, and led a session at the 2020 Ohio Problem Gambling Conference. “Everything sort of snowballed in a good way for me as if it were meant to be,” says Jess.

Jess found that he had unique value to add because of his lived experience. “I can tell a very real story to influence legislators about gambling issues. When someone shares their story in person, they have to hear it, and it changes the way they think about it. I also remind them to think about the legacy they want to leave.”

Jess has reached out to legislators by email, letter and phone calls, written op-eds for newspapers and done television interviews. He’s also passionate about the language of “addiction.” “I think the term ‘addict’ creates a stigma that keeps people from coming out to the forefront and getting help.”

Jess has contributed in other ways. For example, he’s supported the use of “warm transfers” on the Ohio state helpline, giving individuals calling in the opportunity to speak with and be assessed by a certified gambling counselor. He’s also encouraging the state to add an advocate line, which would allow a caller to talk to a peer that’s experienced challenges with gambling, rather than a counselor that they might view as less relatable.

“You have to have compassion and understanding when talking to another person and treat them as you’d want to be treated,” he says. “That conversation just might save a life. That was the case for me after my initial call with Project Turnabout — I heard the voice of hope and understanding.”

Where does Jess’s passion come from and what motivates him to be so energetic about the cause? “I believe if you’re aware of what you can do that you have a moral obligation to speak out and help others. I wasn’t willing to be silent because I’ve read and heard so many sad stories. I respect others who decide not to share their story or to be in the forefront, but for me that just isn’t an option.”