It’s back to school season, reminding everyone that summer fun is now relegated to the weekends while day-to-day responsibilities take priority. That being said, September also denotes the full time return of the NFL/NCAAF, prime sports betting season, and the subsequent mental health issues to come with it. This month’s problem gambling news report from Kindbridge touches on this topic and more. Please keep reading.
September 2024 News Regarding Problem Gambling and Sports Betting that America Needs to Know About
Missouri Residents to Vote on Sports Betting Legalization
The state of Missouri is putting some of the power in the hands of its residents when it comes to whether or not the state will be added to this U.S. map of legal sports betting. Missouri sports betting will appear as Amendment 2 on the state’s November 5 ballot. Early polls suggest that 60% of voters are in favor of betting on professional sports, while 25% are opposed, and a remaining 14% are currently unsure of their stance.
If early polls are an indicator of what’s to come, the state will need to prepare to invest in better mental health support for residents who are vulnerable to problem gambling and cooccurring disorders. Mental Health America reports that Missouri ranks at a concerning 38 in the country. States ranked 1-10 have lower prevalence of mental illness and higher rates of access to care for adults. States that are ranked 39-51 indicate that adults have higher prevalence of mental illness and lower rates of access to care. Missouri ranked 42 in 2022, improved to 39 in 2023, and improved again here in 2024. Despite these recent advancements in scores, they are on the cusp of a very concerning category. Are residents aware of this as they prepare to vote on whether or not the state should allow legal sports betting?
Data Finds Customized Virtual Treatment Works
Each quarter, Kindbridge generates a Gambling Disorder (GD) Treatment Outcomes Report. This report provides gambling regulators, policymakers, sportsbook/casino leadership, and responsible gambling / advocacy groups along with the American public with valuable insight into the efficacy of our customized virtual treatment strategy for GD.
The results from the most recent reporting period are in, and they are impressive, surpassing standard industry benchmarks and demonstrating the efficacy of our interventions. Individuals exhibited the following notable improvements for gambling behaviors and cooccurring mental health conditions over a period of 12-sessions:
65.2% reduction in scores for Depression
*Standard industry benchmark is 50%
76.5% reduction in scores for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
*Standard industry benchmark is 50%
47.7% reduction in scores for Alcohol Use Disorder
To learn more you can reference our first publicly published outcomes report for the summer of 2024 here, and bookmark our blog for monthly updates from here on in. We also encourage you to share the infographic below with anyone in your circle who may be interested in the promising outcomes:
Stay tuned for more as stories develop.
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