In Virginia, the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee began work on July 1 with the goals of preventing gambling addiction and providing resources to individuals who are addicted. The committee is part of SB836, signed into law by Governor Glenn Youngkin and Republican state Senator Bryce Reeves.
In a statement, Reeves said, “I look forward to the committee’s establishment this July and the progress they will make in ensuring Virginians are given the knowledge, tools and abilities to prevent and overcome gambling addiction.”
The new committee will include state regulators who will oversee the Virginia Lottery, casinos, sports betting, horse racing and charitable gaming, as well as a representative from the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling and the executive director of a local community services board.
In addition, the state will appoint a problem gambling prevention coordinator within the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
Virginia also offers a self-exclusion program through the Virginia Lottery, which prohibits an individual from betting within a set time frame. The state also offers a problem gambling hotline and Gamblers Anonymous meetings.
Reeves said a special emphasis will be placed on preventing youth gambling. He said Virginia’s annual youth survey indicated nearly two-thirds of Virginians aged 18 to 25 gambled during March.
He said, “As a father, it pains me to see how our youth have been affected by gambling and all the ills that come with it. The Virginia Problem Gambling Hotline has seen a 143 percent increase in calls over the last few years, which I feel is deeply representative of this growing issue. Also, a 2021 Virginia Youth Survey showed that 21 percent of high school students said they had placed a bet over the last year. Sixty-five percent of the young adults aged 18-25 said they had gambled in the 30 days before taking the survey.”
Reeves summarized, “With young people placing bets at such early ages and currently 15 online sports betting platforms to choose from, the bill aiming to provide more responsible gambling resources comes just in time.”
