After announcing they would join forces to create a landmark program fighting off gambling harm at the end of January, EPIC Risk Management and the National Collegiate Athletic Association haven’t looked back ever since. The program that is meant to educate and raise awareness on the risks connected to gambling is aimed at coaches, student-athletes, healthcare staff, game officials, and support personnel. EPIC’s program has already received funding from the Entain Foundation and reached athletes and staff members in 22 US states.

8,000 NCAA Student-Athletes Reached

The program has so far provided 158 face-to-face awareness and education sessions to close to 8,000 NCAA student-athletes and staff members. NCAA’s executive vice president for regulatory affairs Stan Wilcox said the NCAA was satisfied by the fact that the collaboration had managed to reach such a large number of student-athletes. Wilcox further spoke about the risks tied to sports betting, describing them as “abundant” while labelling the education offered by EPIC Risk Management as “invaluable for student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and officials”.

Entain plc’s senior vice president for American regulatory affairs and responsible gambling Martin Lycka added the foundation was “proud” to support EPIC Risk Management by delivering face-to-face sessions and workshops via the necessary funding. He acknowledged that the funding has allowed the “global leaders in the delivery of problem gambling education” to have a large impact on the population with one of the highest risks associated with gambling.

More to Come

At a global level, the Entain Foundation has already made pledges valued at $132 million aimed at funding additional responsible gambling initiatives in the upcoming five years. The investment in NCAA’s and Epic Risk Management’s program is still on the list. EPIC Risk Management’s senior director John Millington said they were “delighted” to closely collaborate with colleges spread all across the country on the critical education and awareness program. He called their initiative a collective responsibility that should minimize the potential harm associated with gambling while promoting the safety of players. Millington called their partnership with Entain Foundation U.S. a “key strategic piece” of their prevention pillar. EPIC Risk Management will continue to provide in-person educational seminars and workshops along with previously recorded educational classes and on-demand virtual resources.

During the past year, the number of colleges and universities that have launched official workshops and training programs aimed at the same goal to fight off gambling harm has gone up by over 30%.