Bally’s partners with Rhode Island Lottery, the Rhode Island Council on Problem Gambling, and EPIC Global Solutions for an active Problem Gambling Awareness Month
Bally’s Corporation today announced it is partnering with the Rhode Island Lottery, the Rhode Island Council on Problem Gambling, and EPIC Global Solutions to commemorate Problem Gambling Awareness Month 2025 with a series of ‘challenges’ intended to increase awareness of responsible gaming.
Consisting of four key initiatives built around March’s national month of awareness, the collective will employ the following to promote the initiatives:
· Leaders Challenge: An engaging 90-minute leadership discussion at the Community College of Rhode Island on March 4 to deliver critical information that ‘challenges’ regulators and industry leaders to further advance responsible gaming. The discussion will explore addiction, integrity, and player health, addressing the challenges of expansion while highlighting strategies to mitigate risks and maximize well-being. Participants in the panel discussion include: Desiree Soto, Problem Gambling Program Manager, Rhode Island Lottery; Elizabeth Suever, Vice President of Government Relations, Bally’s Corporation; Ernie Adams, Detective Sergeant, Gaming Enforcement Unit, Rhode Island State Police; John Cipolla, Staff to the Council, Problem Gambling Services Project and Helpline Coordinator, Rhode Island Council on Problem Gambling; and other keynote speakers with a background in responsible gaming.
· Rhode Island Game Changer Challenge: A messaging challenge for Rhode Island college students to submit an original work which explores a theme within responsible gaming via rigamechanger.com throughout February and March. This offers a unique opportunity for students to engage in important social issues while competing for the prestigious inaugural 2025 Nancy Murray Award for innovation in addressing gambling harm. Named after the respected Problem Gambling Program Manager at Rhode Island Lottery, the award offers prizes in both writing and creative categories for students who capture the imagination with their proposals of how to help the wider public understand responsible gaming messaging. Murray has received the honor of the award in her name this year having made a transformative contribution to gambling harm prevention within Rhode Island since 1978, using various forms of communications tools and engagement strategies to raise awareness on a growing public health issue.
· Mentor Challenge: An on-demand webinar, available on the Rhode Island Council on Problem Gambling (RICPG) website, for influential adults to provide them with information to look out for warning signs and ‘challenge’ them to speak to youth about gambling.
· Limit Setting Challenge: ‘Game in Good Hands’, a campaign to ‘challenge’ online users to explore limit setting tools, will be available across all Bally’s websites in the US during March. The initiative will feature dedicated emails, social media posts, in-app messaging, and updates to the Responsible Gaming (RG) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages on Bally’s websites, ensuring that players have access to vital information and support. Additional personalized communication will be sent to Rhode Islanders aged 21-24 who are new to the concept of legalized gaming to encourage awareness of limit setting.
According to Craig Eaton, President of Bally’s Rhode Island, the awareness initiatives are amplified in a public service video featuring Governor Dan McKee and four college basketball coaches from URI and Providence College.
“We thank Governor McKee and URI basketball coaches Archie Miller and Tammi Reiss as well as PC basketball coaches Kim English and Erin Batth in assisting our efforts to promote greater awareness of gambling harms,” said Mr. Eaton.
“The video will be aired via social media and other communications channels on the two college campuses and basketball arenas, as well as by the partner organizations involved in this worthwhile program. Importantly, the video will be pushed out to all RI high school athletic coaches through the Rhode Island Interscholastic League.”
Eaton continued, “Bally’s Corporation is committed to making a positive impact on the community and looks forward to the collaboration with the Rhode Island Lottery, the Rhode Island Council on Problem Gambling, EPIC Global Solutions and students to promote awareness and support for those affected by gambling harm. This initiative will highlight how Rhode Island is setting a benchmark for awareness, collaboration, and future progress – approaches that can be replicated in Rhode Island and beyond.”
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER) is operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling. The helpline serves as a one-stop hub connecting people looking for assistance with a gambling problem to local resources. This network includes 28 contact centers covering all 50 states and U.S. territories. The National Problem Gambling Helpline offers call, text, and chat services 24/7/365. Learn more at www.ncpgambling.org.
