The Buckeye State is Emphasizing Responsible Ohio Sports Betting Education

As online sports betting in the USA continues to grow in popularity, more states are seemingly making a concerted effort to educate their population on responsible gaming. And we can now officially add the Ohio sports betting market to this list.

A pair of coalitions operating in The Buckeye State have launched programs that aim to educate people on the merits and practices of responsible online sports betting in Ohio. Most recently, the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio debuted a “new telehealth network.” The primary goal, according to multiple outlets, is to “increase access to care for people with problem gambling.” 

Prior to that, at the end of September 2024, another responsible gambling group, Change the Game Ohio, teamed up with the Ohio High School Athletic Association to “educate young people on the importance of responsible gaming.”

Without question, this counts as progress for Ohio sports betting. To be sure, no industry is perfect. The legalization of sports betting throughout the United States continues to have detractors, many of whom have valid concerns.

Still, additional regulatory, educational and assistance resources are never a bad thing. After all, as things stand, online sports betting in the United States isn’t going anywhere. Almost 40 states have no legalized wagering in some form. That number is likely to increase over both the short and long term. Knowing that, it is paramount for states to optimize their markets—to make them as safe as humanly possible under the circumstances. These programs and resources now available in the Ohio sports betting market seem like they fit the spirit of that responsibility.

Ohio Sports Betting Telehealth Network Attempts to Increase Access to Counseling for Everyone

Let’s begin with the new telehealth network released by the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio. Here is a description of their mission from their official website announcement:

“The Ohio Gambling Telehealth Network (OGTN) is a system of counseling providers throughout Ohio available to those affected by problem gambling or gambling disorder. As the state of Ohio has seen increased interest and demand for counseling services for gambling disorder, and with large sections of the state without local options for counselors trained specifically to assist those living with or affected by gambling disorder, the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio, with the support from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Ohio for Responsible Gambling has established the Ohio Gambling Telehealth Network. OGTN is available to provide counseling through a telehealth platform to those without local access to qualified counselors specifically trained to treat those living with problem gambling concerns or gambling disorder. Telehealth services are provided through video on a device such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone.”

From the outside, this seems like a great resource for the Ohio sports betting market.

Multiple studies have shown that the legalization of online sports betting leads to an uptick of problem gambling reports. It is important to have the tools in place to address and treat these upswings. 

Most of the time, we interpret this to mean money allocated from Ohio sports betting revenue. But it seems that, collectively, we have underestimated how many people do not have readied access to any services provided.

Anecdotally speaking, a telehealth option makes seeking problem gambling treatment for Ohio sports betting much more palatable. It is not only more accessible, but it removes a barrier for entry—mainly travel and mustering up the energy to be seen visiting a treatment center.

Gambling Education in Ohio will Now Take Place at the High School

Though the Ohio sports betting telehealth program is somewhat unexpected, Change The Game Ohio’s partnership with the state’s high school athletic association seemed inevitable. The Buckeye State has often been at the forefront of difficult sports betting topics. And chief among those issues is typically the protection of both underage high school and college students and athletes.

While the exact deployment of this program remains unclear, we have an outline of the goals. Here is the breakdown from PlayOhio:

“The goal of this new partnership is to provide education and responsible gambling resources to high school students and highlight warning signs and issues with youth gambling. Resources will also now be available for parents and coaches at OHSAA events. ‘Today’s youth are likely exposed through everyday activities like video games, fantasy sports and card games,” Ohio High School Athletic Association Executive Director Doug Ute. ‘There are real consequences for youth who engage in betting. They are more likely to neglect their studies, increase their risk for substance abuse and delinquency, and end up with emotional stress and depression. This partnership initiative will allow informed decisions with youth and how to address these risks.’”

Similar to increases in problem gambling, underage betting issues tend to climb in markets that legalize sports wagering. And each year, it seems like attempting to prevent and treat this problem becomes a larger priority.

To what end this program works is, obviously, a matter of course. But theoretically, teaching minors about responsible gaming and the perils of its addictive properties feels necessary. 

Expect More of These Safe Sports Betting Programs in the Future

The Ohio sports betting market is not the first to cobble together programs to educate sections of the population about safe gaming. They won’t be the last, either.

As sports betting online in the United States continues to grow—and become more of a mainstay—we should expect even more of these programs to surface. In fact, at some point, these partnerships could be considered non-negotiable. 

On top of that, we don’t believe initiatives like this will stop here. The future of sports betting advertisements is another arena on which to keep an eye. Some states are starting to think about more heavily regulating promotional spending. Most recently, Kansas proposed a bill to limit sports betting advertisements. To that end, we also know for a fact that state officials were taken aback by the inundation of Ohio sports betting promotions when wagering launched in 2022.

The point of all this isn’t to render a profound verdict on, well, everything. It is about acknowledging that sports betting is, at least right now, part of our societal fabric. And as long as that’s the case, the creation of additional safe-gaming initiatives can, and should, become the norm.

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