The NCAA Tournament, known as March Madness, is the most wagered sporting event in the United States. Control is vital while betting the NCAA Tournament to assure s fun betting experience. The National Council on Problem Gambling has been designating March as Problem Gambling Month for almost 20 years to bring awareness to the issue during the NCAA Tournament.
The National Council on Problem Gambling
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) uses March Madness to create awareness and help suffering gamblers. The NCAA Tournament draws a lot of attention, so it’s a perfect platform to raise awareness for problem gambling.
The Executive Director of the NCPG, Keith Whyte, has been advocating for the issue of problem gambling in the United States leading up to March. Whyte stated, “March Madness is a time of year when we see an increase in gambling and more demand for our services. Too many people still don’t recognize they are exhibiting signs of this addictive behavior and are unaware of the help that is available to them.”
Problem Gambling Since the Legalization of Sports Betting
Sports betting in the United States has grown in popularity since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2018. The Supreme Court’s decision gave states the power to legalize sports betting inside their respective borders.
Since PASPA was deemed unconstitutional, 20 states and the District of Columbia have legalized sports betting in some capacity. States have noticed the economic growth in legal areas and are pushing forward with legalization.
It’s not crazy to believe that most of the country will be offering sports betting in the coming years. This expansion is rapid, and it has caused many more cases of problem gambling in the country. Problem gambling services are not able to grow as quickly as states are legalizing the form of gambling.
Therefore, problem gambling is on an exponential rise, and Problem Gambling Awareness Month is designed to help raise awareness for the growing issue.
The Goal of Problem Gambling Awareness Month
There are two goals of Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
1. Increase the awareness of problem gambling in the United States.
2. Encourage health officials to screen patients for gambling problems frequently.
The NCPG is not large enough and does not have enough resources to improve the overall state of problem gambling in America. However, their marketing has caused states to realize that there is a sports gambling problem in the United States.
Some states and local organizations have stepped up to raise awareness and help people overcome gambling addiction. This March has caused a fear that problem gambling will be a much greater concern because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
People have been locked up for the majority of the past year from the virus. States are beginning to open, but life has certainly not returned to normal. Sports betting has brought a lot of entertainment to American citizens.
Legal sports betting markets have also prepared for this by encouraging responsible play and implementing player protection systems for the NCAA Tournament.
March 10th is National Screening Day for Problem Gambling, which should limit issues when the tournament gets underway.
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