Did you know March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM)? In honor of PGAM, we at the Cuyahoga Problem Gambling Coalition (CPGC) are publishing the Problem Gambling Awareness Month Blog Series. Tune in each week for our latest post!

For our first post in the series, we would like to invite you to learn some easy tips to help you be part of the 95% of people that are able to keep gambling safe and fun:

1. Only bring what you can afford to lose
2. Only gamble after bills and other responsibilities are taken care of
3. Don’t borrow money to gamble
4. Don’t replace hobbies/interests with gambling

In Ohio there are over 500,000 individuals with a gambling problem. At the CPGC we strive to diminish this number and create a community free of problem gambling right here in Cuyahoga County. The coalition was established in May 2014, and implements programs to raise awareness, provide education and cultivate resources related to problem gambling. Our signature program is the Cuyahoga Problem Gambling Symposium. Save the date for the 2016 symposium on Friday June 17th at the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging. CPGC co-chair Ashley Hartman states “our goal with the coalition is to create a space for diverse stakeholders to work in collaboration to address problem gambling. We know the power of our work is in the members of our coalition.” Co-chair Michael Buzzelli adds “generating awareness around a topic that has become so normalized and culturally appropriate can be a challenge; we always let the message be known we are not anti-gambling but pro responsible gambling.” With a group made up of professionals and community members from all walks of life, we can spread the word of responsible gambling far and wide and start creating a problem gambling free Cuyahoga County.

To learn more about the coalition and other problem gambling services at Recovery Resources, please contact Ashley Hartman at ahartman@recres.org or (216) 431-4131 ext. 1108. For services across the state call the statewide problem gambling helpline at 1-800-589-9966. If you are concerned about your own gambling, use our online problem gambling screening tool to determine your level of risk.

Stay tuned for further blog posts during our Problem Gambling Awareness Month Blog Series!