The New York State Gaming Commission has announced New York’s compliance and acceptance of March as the Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
A statewide effort to address gambling-related harms has been backed by Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York.
Hochul gave a proclamation outlining the support and services available around the state, saying: “New York State has established a strong public health response to gambling harms by expanding access to specialized peer and recovery supports, improving data collection and expanding research and providing the addiction workforce free tools and evidence-based practices, as well as launching targeted public awareness campaigns to prevent and decrease risks of gambling harms and inform New Yorkers of the connections to supports that are available."
As part of the campaign, landmarks across the state were illuminated yellow on March 10 to mark Gambling Disorder Screening Day, a national initiative designed to encourage healthcare providers and community organisations to screen individuals for potential gambling-related harm.
The awareness campaign is being coordinated in the Empire State through the Responsible Play Partnership, a collaboration consisting of the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), the New York State Gaming Commission and the New York Council on Problem Gambling.
The theme of this year’s campaign was ‘Caring Communities, Stronger Futures’ and Dr. Chinazo Cunningham of OASAS reinforced that theme with her comments: “OASAS oversees a comprehensive statewide continuum of prevention, treatment, harm-reduction and recovery supports for individuals and families affected by gambling harms, with initiatives that are data-driven to ensure effective targeted outreach approaches and culturally appropriate services are available.”
Problem Gambling Awareness Month was established by the National Council on Problem Gambling to promote education about gambling addiction
