Sports Handle to host ‘Safer Gambling in Elite Sports’ webinar featuring NCAA, Entain Foundation U.S. and EPIC

As conversations around player protection, sports integrity, and gambling harm prevention gain momentum, Sports Handle will host a webinar on ‘Safer Gambling in Elite Sports’ featuring industry-leading panelists from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Entain Foundation U.S., and EPIC Global Solutions.

The event’s panelists will address leading trends in player protection, best practices for ensuring integrity in sports, and how best to address gambling-related harm as sports betting surges in popularity and cultural acceptance. The webinar will be hosted on Microsoft Teams, with sign-up available here: bit.ly/SGESWebinar.

Mike Seely, Associate Editor at Better Collective, will moderate the panel and pose questions to the event’s panelists, including:

• Mark Hicks, Managing Director of Enforcement for the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). His primary role involves leading Enforcement’s sport and issue-specific relationship and development initiatives, which include sports wagering, NIL, football, basketball, baseball, and track and field.

• Martin Lycka, Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling at Entain plc. He also serves as a Trustee at Entain Foundation U.S. and Vice Chair of the National Council on Problem Gambling’s Advisory Board.

• Ryan Tatusko, Program Facilitator at EPIC Global Solutions, a globally leading independent gambling harm minimisation consultancy, and a former professional baseball pitcher.

“This is an important opportunity to educate the sports betting industry on how best to address gambling harm and ensure a safe, enjoyable, and sustainable environment for all,” said Lycka. “We’re grateful to Sports Handle for hosting this event and providing a platform for this critical discussion.”

The NCAA and EPIC Global Solutions have partnered since 2022 to deliver a comprehensive and customised sports wagering gambling harm prevention programme to over 10,000 student-athletes and administrators, funded by Entain Foundation U.S.

“The NCAA is committed to providing sports betting education to our schools, conferences, coaches, administrators and especially student-athletes,” said Hicks. “This panel provides an opportunity for us to deliver valuable insights as to how the NCAA works with industry leaders to protect student-athlete well-being and the integrity of competition.” 

“I’m pleased to be able to share key insight into the education and consultancy work we undertake in elite sports, as well as some of my personal back story that explains the reason why it is needed,” explained Tatusko. “This webinar will be an excellent chance for some proactive and forward-thinking organisations to explain why we’re looking to bring discussions around safer gambling practices to a wider audience.”