For the eighteenth year, the Oklahoma Association on Problem and Compulsive Gambling (OAPCG), in collaboration with the National Council on Problem Gambling, dedicates the month of March to helping people who struggle with a gambling problem. Approximately 2 million U.S. adults (1% of the population) are estimated to meet criteria for gambling disorder. Another 4–6 million (2–3%) are considered to meet criteria for problem gambling. And yet for many residents of the US, gambling remains a hidden addiction.
This awareness campaign brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, treatment providers, the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA), and gambling operators. They work collaboratively to let people know that hope and help exist.
“OAPCG will be hosting our thirteenth annual conference on problem gambling at the beginning of March. It’s a time for stakeholders across the state to come together and work toward a future where all Oklahomans are responsible gamblers,” said Wiley Harwell, executive director of OAPCG.
OAPCG will also be promoting awareness through its Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/OKAssnPG/), and social media users are invited to use the tag #smartplayok throughout the month to increase awareness of responsible gambling.