Illinois Recognizes Gambling Awareness Month With Programs, Promotions

Written By Cole Rush on March 5, 2024 - Last Updated on March 6, 2024
Illinois is recognizing Problem Gambling Awareness Month with programs and promotions.

Along with states across the US, Illinois recognizes March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month.

This month, the Illinois Department of Human Services will host various programs and promotions to raise awareness about responsible gambling in Illinois.

Chicago skyline will be lit in teal during March Madness games

To recognize Problem Gambling Awareness Month and promote responsible play, various buildings in downtown Chicago will be lit with the color teal. Additionally, Illinois is hosting an art contest to showcase the “power of recovery,” according to the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).

The IDHS also plans to collaborate with treatment providers to raise awareness and connect people with resources for assistance.

Dulce Quintero, secretary designate of IDHS, said it’s important to keep pushing the message that help is available.

“This month is an extremely important time for IDHS and our providers to raise awareness for the recovery support services available for gambling disorder. We would like to thank BOMA Chicago for helping us in our efforts to raise awareness by lighting the city skyline teal from March 25-31 during the 2024 men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments. Individuals who struggle with gambling disorder often hide their behavior from family members, and we want all Illinois residents to know there is hope and a path to recovery.”

Juried art contest open to residents 14 and older in March

The art contest is open to all Illinois residents 14 or older. It is part of the state’s “Are You Really Winning?” campaign. The juried contest intends to bring hope to those who struggle with problem gambling.

Several forms of media are eligible for submission:

  • Drawings
  • Paintings
  • Prints
  • Mixed media
  • Collage
  • Digital art
  • Textiles
  • Glass
  • Photography
  • Ceramics
  • Sculpture
  • Graphic design
  • Illustration

Winning pieces will be announced and displayed in June. For more details on the art contest, visit the official website.

Illinois has trained several hundred clinicians

Research from Health Resources in Action indicates that 4% of Illinois residents struggle with gambling disorders, or about 400,000 people. An additional 7% are at risk of developing a gambling disorder.

Further, data show that Illinois contributes the fourth-most calls, texts and chats to the 800-GAMBLING national hotline.

The IDHS Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR) has trained more than 650 clinicians to treat gambling disorders in the state. To further enhance the value and accessibility of such treatment, SUPR will run monthly webinars in 2024 focused on problem gambling.

The organization will also run a two-day summit on problem gambling and various conferences, including a 30-hour gambling counselor training and three community- and cultural-focused seminars.

Illinois has many programs and resources to assist at-risk or problem gamblers. For self-assessment tools and links to help programs, visit AreyouReallyWinning.com.

Photo by Shutterstock
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Cole Rush

Cole Rush writes words. A lot of them. Most of those words can be found in gambling publications such as PlayIllinois, iGaming Business, Gaming Today, Bonus.com, MidwestSharp.com, ICE 365, and IGB North America. Cole also covers pop culture and books for Tor.com and TheQuillToLive.com. Cole has more than eight years of experience writing about gambling and entertainment.

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