PGCB debuts underage gambling prevention campaign to address ‘growing issue’

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has unveiled a new underage gambling prevention campaign, What’s Really at Stake, to help address a “growing issue” in the US and raise awareness of tools currently available to parents and young adults. 

“The legalized gambling the PGCB regulates, and in particular online gambling, is intended for those 21 years and older,” PGCB Executive Director Kevin O’Toole said. 

“The licensed operators in Pennsylvania have various tools within their systems to deny gambling privileges to those underage, but the proliferation of easily accessible illegal and unregulated sites that do not carry those protections to block underagers is a substantial reason in creating this negative situation.”

The campaign’s launch will coincide with Problem Gambling Awareness Month in March, as well as the beginning of the 2026 NCAA March Madness college basketball tournaments, both men’s and women’s. 

What’s Really at Stake will spread awareness through social media posts, online advertising and access to promotional materials, while the PGCB introduced additional resources to help protect kids from the risks of sports betting, iGaming and other forms of gambling on March 6. 

Council on Compulsive Gambling of PA Executive Director Josh Ercole also spoke on the initiative, having said, “In recent years, calls to the helpline regarding young individuals in Pennsylvania have increased. 

“With so much access and availability, especially in unregulated forms of gambling, it is critical to have open discussions about risks and potential harms. It is also important to understand that while underage individuals playing games like these may seem innocent, early exposure and participation can lead to future problems.”

The PGCB officially recognized March 2026 as Problem Gambling Awareness Month on March 2, helping to promote resources designed to assist individuals who have developed a gambling problem.