As Problem Gambling Awareness Month begins, the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission has approved the first distribution of award money to nonprofits offering problem gambling services in the state. Under the Responsible Gaming Grant Program, which became law last June, a total of $1.57 million will help fund five projects offered by three organizations: Kindbridge Research Institute, Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health and Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado.
The projects include counselor training and certification programs; research on problem gambling in the state; a program to increase college students’ awareness of gambling issues; and a social marketing campaign on gambling addiction.
Grant recipients will present their evaluation reports to the commission at the end of the 1-year grant period.
CLGC Chairman Richard Nathan said, “We would be ignoring the obvious if we did not accept that the largely positive experience of gaming in Colorado does not, amongst its participants, have some who are negatively impacted by their participation. Our actions this month are just the beginning of our efforts to recognize that there is such a thing as problem gaming and to address mitigating its negative impact.”
