The Tennessee Sports Wagering Advisory Council announced when it takes over from the Tennessee Education Lottery on January 1, one of its major priorities will be helping problem gamblers within the state. SWAC committee member Samuel Lee, chief deputy district attorney general in Knox County, said, “We take that very seriously.”
Five percent of revenue from sports betting, which launched November 1, goes to state-funded gambling addiction programs overseen by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The department offers a Problem Gambling Treatment Services Program, which “provides assessments, educational services, and outpatient treatment for individuals and families seeking services for problem gambling and gambling addictions.” It also provides the Problem Gambling Outreach, Education, and Referrals Program, which works to increase awareness about problem gambling and gambling addiction and provides educational resources to individuals and their families.
Lee cited a February news report noting between January 2020 and January 2021, Tennessee REDLINE saw an 847 percent increase in calls related to gambling addiction; calls surged after the state legalized sports wagering. Lee said, “What may appear innocuous when you’re using your phone and placing these bets could cause catastrophic results if you’ve got a mortgage to pay or if you’ve got a family that’s counting on your income, and somehow you punching these numbers in there translates into causing a big financial disaster in your household.”
Lee said the SWAC and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services will have ongoing discussions about providing easy access to problem gambling services. “If there is one person that calls that we could try to reach and assist, then we want to make sure that we’re ready to do that,” he said.
