Beverly, MA – April 29, 2025 – Kindbridge Research Institute (KRI), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research and solutions in behavioral addiction and mental health challenges, has launched the Financial Stability and Responsible Gambling Initiative—the first coordinated U.S. effort to confront gambling-related financial harm as a public health and financial stability issue.
The multi-year national initiative brings together experts in finance, healthcare, and research to develop practical strategies for reducing the financial harm that can result from gambling, including mounting debt, missed payments, and money stress that affects a person’s stability or health. These financial problems are often the first sign of deeper struggles. In clinical settings, many of those who seek help for gambling later learn they’ve also been dealing with mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, or trauma, making this a critical point for early intervention.
“Financial stress connected to gambling is often one of the earliest signs that a person is under serious strain—whether it’s emotional, psychological, or financial,” said Daniel Umfleet, Director of Kindbridge Research Institute’s Financial Stability and Responsible Gambling Initiative. “By bringing together sectors that haven’t traditionally worked in partnership, we have a real chance to step in earlier, coordinate care, and build practical responses that stabilize lives and strengthen systems of support.”
The Financial Stability and Responsible Gambling Initiative will be guided by a national working group that will bring together leaders across sectors to share insights and explore upstream solutions like financial education to strengthen prevention and care. As part of the initiative, researchers at UCLA will also conduct research to better understand how gambling and financial instability intersect, what patterns may signal early risk, and which interventions are most effective at preventing more serious financial and health consequences.
“Financial stress is one of the most common and damaging consequences of harmful gambling,” said Dr. Timothy Fong, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA and Co-Director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program. “As clinicians, we see how financial harm often drives people to seek help, but by the time they do, much of the damage has already been done. This initiative allows us to intervene earlier in that trajectory. Just as important, it gives us the opportunity to collect new data that can directly inform how we design support systems that work.”
For more information about Kindbridge Research Institute and its mission, please visit www.kindbridgeinstitute.org.
About Kindbridge Research Institute
Kindbridge Research Institute (KRI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research and solutions for mental health challenges and behavioral addictions. Through strategic collaboration with leading experts, policymakers, and mental health professionals, KRI drives meaningful change and strives to enhance the well-being of individuals and families affected by gambling-related harm, as well as other behavioral health issues.