Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court is launching a first-of-its-kind program in Ohio to identify defendants with gambling addictions and connect them to treatment.

Judge Brendan Sheehan said the court wanted to get its Problem Gambling Addiction Program up and running before the state’s new sports betting laws go into effect on Jan. 1.

“The state of Ohio approved gambling and that’s great, but we also know there’s a bad side, and we want to be prepared for it,” Sheehan said.

The court partnered with Recovery Resources and Ohio for Responsible Gambling, a statewide organization made up of the Ohio Lottery Commission, the Ohio Casino Control Commission, the Ohio State Racing Commission and the Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services, to expand the assessments given to people charged with crimes when they begin the court process.