Ohio declares March as problem gambling awareness month

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has declared March 2019 as problem gambling awareness month. He said the main intention of the declaration is to “encourage all Ohioans to participate in the theme, “Awareness + Action,” to ensure that friends, family and healthcare access points develop a growing awareness of responsible gambling and resources available for gambling addiction.”

Recent surveys suggest that 10 per cent of adults in Ohio are at-risk of problem gambling, but only 1 per cent would potentially have a Gambling Disorder or addiction. The survey also said that young adults ages 18–24 are at the highest risk for problem gambling. With that knowledge, state officials are looking at youth gambling and where the risks may be developing over time.

Games with gambling built in include Overwatch, Red Dead Redemption, Call of Duty: Black Ops, FIFA Ultimate Team, Casino Kid, and any games with “loot boxes.” Loot boxes are like the “mystery bags” that children used to buy on the chance of finding something of value within. However, in video games players may compete to buy loot boxes with real dollars, and the contents can be worth pennies or thousands of dollars in real or virtual prizes.