Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Massachusetts Sets Aside $3.1M to Combat Youth Gambling

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Sports betting continues to expand across the United States, reaching new customers in 38 states and Washington DC. However, the benefits of that expansion such as tax revenue and sponsorship opportunities for sports leagues cannot overshadow the concerns of excessive gambling.

More Money for Youth Problem Gambling Prevention

This week, the Department of Public Health (DPH) in Massachusetts, confirmed its intention to invest $3.1 million in prevention of problem gambling among youth, supporting a range of prevention and treatment programs.

Similar to other states, Massachusetts requires a minimum age of 21 for anyone who wants to place a wager. After the state legalized betting in August 2022, legal mobile and retail betting was introduced early in 2023.

The tax rate applicable to online betting is 20%, while retail wagering revenue is subject to a 15% tax. The majority of the revenue, or 45% benefits Massachusetts’ General Fund, but some 9% is dedicated to the state’s Public Health Trust Fund which focuses on prevention, research, treatment and support.

The Grant Will Boost a Variety of Programs Across Massachusetts

According to the DPH, the $3.1 million grant will benefit a range of initiatives with a focus on the prevention of problem gambling among youth. The DPH’s Office of Problem Gambling Services (OPGS) will deliver $1 million in funding for a workforce development opportunities initiative known as Project Build Up 2.0.

The remaining $2.1 million will benefit a peer-to-peer program that seeks to “actively engage young people (ages 12-21) in problem gambling prevention.” This program is known as Youth Leaders in Problem Gambling Prevention, and it seeks to educate young people on the dangers of gambling while at the same time helping them with prevention. Not unexpectedly, a focus of the program is also to raise awareness of “problem gambling and related health issues throughout the state.”

Under the Youth Leaders in Gambling Prevention program, three organizations will receive funding. The list includes the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center in Boston, the Public Health Institute of Western MA as well as the Latino Education Institute at Worcester State University. The trio will lead the project and will each receive $700,000 annually in grants.

Support and Education for Young Adults Are Critical

Victor Ortiz, the director of the OPGS, revealed that reaching young adults before they go down the path of gambling is imperative. “Supporting workforce development for problem gambling treatment providers will build the capacity of our outpatient treatment programs to address problem gambling and co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders,” he explained.

Reaching young people before they start down a path to gambling is critically important.

Victor Ortiz, director of the Office of Problem Gambling Services

According to a 2021 MA Youth Health Survey, 42.4% of high school students gambled in the previous year. Equally as concerning was the same survey data about middle school students of which 43.47% admitted to gambling in the last year. In that line of thought, the new funds are seeking to target such students, prevent gambling harm and educate them.

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