New Ohio Telehealth Program Offers Free Problem Gambling Counseling
The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio (PGNO) has launched the Ohio Gambling Treatment Network (OGTN), a telehealth system that provides free mental health support to Ohio residents dealing with problem gambling disorders or concerns.
Derek Longmeier, executive director of the PGNO, told PlayUSA the primary focus for the OGTN over the next year is to expand its network of mental health care providers.
“Our focus for OGTN is greater than the name implies. OGTN is designed as a safety net for individuals who live in communities without local access to a qualified gambling counselor. Our primary goal is to build the workforce of local providers qualified to provide gambling counseling.”
Key takeaways
- The OGTN provides free mental health consultations for Ohio residents dealing with problem gambling issues.
- The OGTN is funded by several state-level health and gambling departments.
- Qualified problem gamblers were few and far between when sports betting launched in Ohio.
Ohio Gambling Treatment Network clinicians have significant experience
The OGTN started as an idea that the PGNO eventually submitted to state decision-makers as a proposal for combatting problem gambling in the Buckeye State. That proposal was submitted just before sports betting launched in Ohio in January 2023.
At the time, Longmeier said, only one-third of Ohio counties had mental health professionals who were qualified to counsel people about problem gambling. Over the past year and a half, the PGNO has increased that count to around half of the state’s counties.
But it’s not just a quantity issue, Longmeier said; the quality of the OGTN’s providers is formidable.
“OGTN clinicians must have obtained either the state gambling endorsement or be certified through the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board,” he said.
“Additionally they must have extensive experience providing gambling counseling to those with gambling disorder diagnosis.”
The PGNO talk with telehealth counselors in Ohio and other states to ensure the OGTN would meet the needs of Ohio’s problem gamblers. Good thing, too.
Longmeier said he’s not aware of other states that have a standalone telehealth problem gambling counseling network.
Problem gambling’s effects go beyond a bank account
While problem gambling may seem like an issue that affects bank accounts, it’s much more than that. Longmeier noted in a press release about the OGTN’s launch that gambling addicts are at risk for a variety of issues:
- 80% suffer from depression or anxiety
- 75% have problems with alcohol
- 40% deal with drug issues
- 40% have considered suicide
Additionally, Ohio is a hotbed for sports betting. The state is one of the few markets in the country to bring in more than $1 billion in bets in a single month, a feat it accomplished in its first month of sports wagering.
The PGNO estimates that 1.8 million Ohioans are at risk of problem gambling.
Ohio residents struggling with problem gambling or know someone who may need help can set up an appointment at Ohiogtn.org. Those who struggle with problem gambling and don’t live in Ohio can get help by calling the Problem Gambling National Hotline at 1-800-GAMBLER.