A program announced Wednesday will promote responsible gaming to college students.
A player education initiative promoted by the Entain Foundation U.S. and EPIC Risk Management will organize gaming awareness and educational sessions at more than 40 US colleges and universities.
“We are delighted to be able to work closely with colleges around the nation on this essential education and awareness program,” said John Millington, vice president of U.S. Operations for EPIC Risk Management. “There is a collective responsibility to ensure the minimization of potential gambling harms, and the promotion of player safety.”
According to the National Institutes for Health, up to 23% of college students gamble weekly or more, and between 3% and 14% develop a gambling problem. The International Center for Responsible Gaming indicates that approximately 75% of college students gamble during a year, including card games, sports betting, and lottery tickets.
A.J. Schaufler, the Associate Athletic Director for Compliance at Monmouth University in New Jersey, said the school is aware of the need to assist and educate college students who gamble.
“These sessions are providing our students with an increased understanding of the risks of problematic gambling, and in particular, its close links to sports betting integrity breaches,” Schaufler said in the press release. “Furthermore, they are now better aware of the support mechanisms that are available to them and have a deeper understanding and knowledge of this growing issue.”
The player education initiative will feature sessions devoted to education and awareness and the need for responsible and safe gambling practices. Colleges currently participating include the University of Akron, Harvard University, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the University of Oregon.
The Entain Foundation U.S. is funded by Entain PLC, a gaming and sports betting operator whose properties include Eurobet, Ladbrokes, and Sportingbet. EPIC Risk Management is an independent gambling harm minimization consultant that has collaborated with the National Football League Players’ Association Professional Athletes Foundation (NFLPA PAF) and USA Rugby.
