The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) marks Problem Gambling Awareness Month in March by spotlighting its unique partnership with the Ohio Lottery Commission (OLC), the Ohio Racing Commission, and the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC), which make up Ohio for Responsible Gambling (ORG).  Created in 2012, ORG was formed shortly before the first casinos opened in Ohio, with the goal of addressing problem gambling. Referred to as the “Ohio Model,” the approach has become the gold standard nationwide.  

“We came together organically, without being compelled by legislation,” said OhioMHAS Chief Advisor Tia Marcel Moretti, LSW, OCPC. “Progressive by design, this collaboration allows us to quickly implement emerging best practices.” 

ORG commissioned the first Ohio Gambling Survey in 2012. Done every five years, the 2012 survey found an estimated 5.7 percent of Ohioans reported behaviors that indicated they were at risk for, or already experiencing problem gambling. In 2022, the last time the survey was done, that number had jumped to 19.8 percent.  

That’s not surprising, said Derek Longmeier, Executive Director at the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio. “Studies have shown that the more opportunities there are to gamble, the more problem gambling we’ll see,” he said.  

Together, the entities that make up ORG have taken a multi-pronged approach to address problem gambling and make prevention and treatment more accessible to help people live healthier, happier lives. 

“The priority and urgency to help Ohioans experiencing gambling-related harm comes from understanding the insidious nature of the disease,” said Matt Schuler, Ohio Casino Control Commission Executive Director, who noted that gambling disorder has the highest suicide attempt rate of any addiction. “It can lead to far more than significant financial loss, including emotional distress, and consequences to family dynamics, employment, and reputation. This is why the State of Ohio and its many partners are committed to building and delivering the most comprehensive and effective educational and prevention programs, workforce development opportunities, and treatment and recovery services anywhere in the country.”  

ORG works with several partners outside of the conventional gambling space like Youth to Youth, a community-based drug prevention and youth leadership program, to reach a broader population: in this case, young people. The Ohio Gambling Survey found more than 24% of 18-24 year-olds were at risk of problem gambling, more than any other age group surveyed. While Youth to Youth’s primary focus is to promote a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle, teen participants are also spreading the word about problem gambling. Examples of this include the production of a series of videos about gambling produced by their Youth Advisory Board. 

“They were inspired to create their own presentation to bring awareness to the impacts of gambling and gaming on teens now, with the potential to lead to addiction,” said Cheryl Sells, Executive Director of CompDrug, which oversees the Youth to Youth program. 

Among the other collaborative projects is “Time Out Ohio,” a program the OCCC administers along with the OLC. Formerly known as the Voluntary Exclusion Program, it allows individuals to ban themselves from Ohio’s casinos, racinos, and Ohio sports gaming for a year, five years, or their lifetime. 

“[The program] has continued to expand and evolve into a comprehensive and impactful resource and an example of successful cross-agency work,” said Ohio Lottery Commission Director Michelle Gillcrist. “Our longstanding partnership with the [Ohio] Casino Control Commission has transformed this program from a simple means of self-exclusion into a true hub of support, offering tools and resources to those seeking help.” 

The Problem Gambling Service Consultation Project is another example of successful collaboration among ORG members, along with PGNO, and partner agencies. It aims to help agencies integrate gambling disorder into their practice to identify, treat, and prevent problem gambling behavior. Maryhaven, an addiction treatment center in Columbus, is among those participating.  

“We see clients for problem gambling and gambling disorder, but we also have a prevention component where we’ll go to existing clients with maybe substance use disorder or alcohol use disorder and educate them on problem gambling,” said Abdullah Mahmood, Administrative Coordinator of the Gambling Intervention Program at Maryhaven. “They may not even get services related to gambling to begin with, but they’re getting screened and educated so that they’re aware of how gambling could pose a risk in the future.” 

ORG’s collaboration was on display at the Ohio Problem Gambling Conference in January, when more than 300 people representing professions in prevention, treatment, recovery, operation, regulation, and the community came together to learn and share best practices. Leaders from OhioMHAS, OCCC, and the OLC offered their perspectives during a panel. 

OhioMHAS and OCCC hope to announce details on new initiatives that are the result of their recent strategic planning meeting. Among the efforts is a program working with employee assistance programs (EAPs) to train employers to identify and address problem gambling sooner and more broadly.