Eight months ago, Pennsylvania reached a milestone of sorts. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported that 30,000 individuals had self-excluded themselves from gambling in the state.
There are two ways to interpret that.
One is to be shocked by the high number of gamblers in the Keystone State who are struggling with gambling problems. The other is acknowledging that the state’s efforts to promote responsible gambling are working.
Liz Lanza, the gaming board’s director of the Office of Compulsive and Problem Gambling, told PlayPennsylvania.
“There are definitely positives to it. People know that there’s a program that’s out there to help. They know how to enroll, they know where to go to be self-excluded.”
Self-exclusion lists are working
With the rapid increase of gambling over the last six years in the state, Pennsylvania’s efforts to promote responsible gambling have also ramped up.
Pennsylvania is one of just 10 US states that meets at least 40 of the National Council on Problem Gambling‘s standards, according to a report the organization published last month.
One way the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) combats problem gambling is through its self-exclusion programs. They allow gamblers to bar themselves from gambling by adding their names to an exclusion list.
There are four different lists individuals can put themselves on for either one year, five years, or a lifetime:
- Casinos
- Interactive gambling
- Video gaming terminals
- Fantasy contests
The PGCB made signing up for self-exclusion more user-friendly in July 2023, Lanza said.
“As long as we have these programs out there running and ready for these people, I’m happy to see them utilizing the programs.”
Treatment is also available to self-excluded individuals through the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
Gambling addiction no longer taboo
Little was known about responsible gambling and addiction before the rise of online gaming, including in Pennsylvania. That has mostly changed, Lanza said.
“Back when I started working in this office, I would tell people and they would look at me and ask, ‘People are addicted to gambling? That’s an addiction?’ There were a lot of questions on that. I rarely receive that question anymore.”
Pennsylvania has multiple organizations dedicated to providing responsible gambling messaging and tools to help those suffering from a gambling problem. They include:
- Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
- Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs
- Council on Compulsive Gambling of PA
The state also promotes the national 1-800-GAMBLER helpline, along with a chat and text option to ask for help.
Stigma on gambling has lessened
Officials are always looking for new ways to help, Dr. Michelle Malkin, director of gambling research & policy initiative at East Carolina University, told PlayPennsylvania.
“I think we see an increase in people asking for help because they and/or their affected others (family, etc.) are more aware of the help available, including helplines. Additionally, several states have expanded resources to allow for people to seek help through chat. This is a great way to reach especially younger folks seeking help.”
In the past, asking for help with a gambling problem was considered “weak,” especially for men. There is shame and guilt associated with a gambling addiction. That makes it difficult for a person to admit that they have a problem or ask for help.
Fortunately, that has changed over the last few years, Lanza said.
“There’s a very big concentration on ‘this is an addiction that you have, you aren’t a bad person.’”
The same elected officials who railed against gambling in the past have voted to expand the industry into what it is today. In Pennsylvania, that includes 17 retail casino locations, video game terminals across the state, fantasy sports, online casinos and sports betting.
Gambling is accepted now, said Doug Harbach, PGCB communications director.
“I think that lifted the stigma on the public that they understand, too, that this is an accepted practice.”
Focus has shifted to preventing gambling addiction
Responsible gambling is much more than just helping those who have developed an addiction. Messaging now features preventative tools for individuals before it becomes an addiction.
The PGCB requires that people signing up for a new online casino or sportsbook account receive information on problem gambling and the resources available to them in Pennsylvania, Lanza told PlayPennsylvania.
“We require licensees to notify the player that’s registering that we have these self-imposed limits. You can set these up before even gambling.”
Lanza said that limits, deposit thresholds, and cool-down periods have been implemented to protect players better while gambling.
“Before, we focused on finding signs and symptoms on what to do if you encounter a gambling problem. Now, a lot of the focus is, here’s how you can responsibly gamble as part of your entertainment.”