Local 12: Experts worry about rise in gambling addiction in Ohio as legalized sports betting begins

Stewart tells Local 12 it is hard to predict how much those numbers will go up with legalized sports betting, especially since gamblers can place wagers on their smartphones.

But the number could be big.

"Ohio being a large state within the United States, we're anticipating a dramatic increase in individuals participating,” Stewart said. “And because of that large participation, a certain percentage of those individuals will experience problems with their gambling."

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UC is one of six organizations statewide to get an Ohio grant to train social workers to better handle problem gamblers in the coming year. The school received $15,000 and is the only university to get a grant. The program will be open to UC’s current social work faculty and students, as well as alumni.

Walter says the goal of the Consultation Project is to assist problem gambling service providers in the delivery of comprehensive services throughout the continuum of care. This includes intake and assessment procedures, referral to treatment, clinical and prevention services, human resources, marketing & communications, and internal policy. The Consultation Project is comprised of training, consultation meetings, staff rounds, and an outcome evaluation.

There will be two events in 2023 to expand problem gambling treatment knowledge of Ohio social workers. The first is a problem gambling treatment ethics workshop on Friday, Jan. 20, which is free to all UC School of Social Work alumni, faculty, adjunct faculty, agency-based field instructors, and social work students. Use this link to pre-register for the event:

https://ucincinnati.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_atah-II4QraEpXqZYRYcrQ

The second event will take place on March 31, 2023,  when the UC Social Work Alumni Day will focus on problem gambling treatment.

Lead photo/Susan Haigh/AP