The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) announced the launch of its “What’s Really at Stake” campaign, designed to heighten awareness of this problematic issue.
Information and support will be shared via social media posts, online advertising, a dedicated website at WhatsReallyatStake.com, and promotional materials. All of it is being made available to individuals, educational institutions, or counselors as a free download under the website’s resource section.
The campaign launch coincides with March being National Problem Gambling Awareness Month and NCAA March Madness. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament is one of the biggest events on the sports betting calendar.
Visitors to the What’s Really at Stake website, will see a “Gambling under 21 has real consequences” message with a link to a six-question risk check quiz located directly below it.
“You are under 21. A friend suggests using someone else’s account to place a bet. How likely would you be to do this?”
The answers range from very unlikely to very likely, and after the responses are submitted, an analysis summary appears. It might say something like:
“Strong warning signs are not indicated. Responses do not indicate significant risk at this time. However, gambling under 21 carries legal and financial consequences. Understanding warning signs and resources remains important.”
Below the message, there is a link to learn more about prevention.
Additionally, the resource section has several links, including:
PGCB Executive Director Kevin O’Toole highlighted how protecting the public means ensuring that legalized gaming is fair for those of legal age. With the new campaign, the mission is to bring awareness to young people who can be negatively affected by gambling with those they interact with such as family and educators.
Pennsylvania is one of seven U.S. jurisdictions where real money online gambling is currently available to those 21 years and older along with sports betting.
“The licensed operators in Pennsylvania have various tools within their systems to deny gambling privileges to those underage, but the proliferation of easily accessible illegal and unregulated sites that do not carry those protectionists block underagers is a substantial reason in creating this negative situation,” O’Toole said.
The PGCB press release includes results from several recent studies that show how prevalent the underage gambling problem is. According to collegegambling.org, 75% of U.S. College students gambled in the past year (legally or illegally), with 18% gambling weekly or more frequently.
According to the NCAA, 58% of 18-22-year-olds (including college students) engaged in sports betting with 6% reporting losing over $500 in a single day. The same report highlighted that awareness of campus support for gambling problems is low. Only 14% of men and 16% of women report knowing where to seek help.
The PGCB also referenced information provided by Mass.gov stating that 33.7% of youth under 18 years of age gambled in a one-year period.
Joseph Ercole, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of PA, agreed that the increased availability of online gambling from unregulated, offshore operators is resulting in an increase in the number of young people that they assist. Those who are developing a gambling problem have been reaching out to the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline for assistance.
“With so much access and availability, especially in unregulated forms of gambling, it is critical to have open discussions about risks and potential harms,” Ercole said. “It is also important to understand that while underage individuals playing games like these may seem innocent, early exposure and participation can lead to future problems.”
