News Release: Problem Gambling Awareness Month 2026

Problem Gambling on the Rise, Impacting Thousands of Children under Age 18 in Minnesota

Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling Offers Solutions During Problem Gambling Awareness Month

ROSEVILLE, MINN. (March 2, 2026) — As online gambling becomes more accessible than ever, problem gambling is impacting everyone of all ages, with 250,000 adults and 7,000 high school students affected in Minnesota. The explosive growth of sports betting is fueling youth engagement, normalized with the visibility of major events like March Madness and the Super Bowl, where it was estimated that more than $1.7 billion was to be legally wagered on the big game, and another $1.63 billion was wagered using prediction markets, a staggering 2,700% increase from last year. With betting intertwined with sports through mobile apps, advertising and social media, young people are being exposed earlier and more frequently, increasing their risk of developing harmful gambling behaviors.

To raise awareness about this growing concern, the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling (MNAPG) and the Minnesota Lottery is recognizing March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM). This year’s theme, “Caring Communities, Stronger Futures,” emphasizes the importance of a community-driven approach to problem gambling awareness and support. The annual campaign aims to increase public awareness of problem gambling and the availability of prevention, treatment and recovery services, as well as encourage healthcare providers to screen for problem gambling and connect individuals to appropriate support.

“Problem gambling is a serious concern impacting everybody, and prevention starts with education, especially among young people,” says Susan Sheridan Tucker, Executive Director, MNAPG. “With the rapid normalization of sports betting and prediction markets making a big splash, it’s almost impossible to go anywhere without thinking about gambling—making it more important than ever to ensure people understand the risks, warning signs and know that support and resources are available.”

“We’re proud to partner with the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling to raise awareness about problem gambling,” said Minnesota Lottery Executive Director Adam Prock. “We want our players to have fun, but we also want them to know how much is too much. If you or someone you know needs help, resources are available through the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, funded by the Minnesota Department of Human Services. By working together, we can ensure gaming remains a safe and positive experience for Minnesota adults.”

A key focus of this year’s PGAM is equipping students, families and educators with the tools to recognize the risks associated with gambling and to intervene early. Throughout the month, MNAPG will be advocating to create accessible resources in early education, as early as middle school, promote proactive intervention and ensure young people understand the potential consequences of gambling before harmful behaviors develop.

MNAPG aims to emphasize the importance of building prevention and support systems that reflect the cultural needs of Minnesota’s diverse communities. In Minnesota alone, an estimated two million people are impacted by problem gambling, but access to culturally competent counselors is scarce. Communities of color, immigrant populations and other marginalized groups often face added barriers to accessing care, including language differences, cultural stigma, lack of representation among providers and limited awareness of available resources. This gap emphasizes the need for culturally competent counselors who can effectively support Minnesota’s diverse communities.

Specifically, MNAPG is seeing the need for culturally responsive outreach firsthand through its partnerships with community leaders, including Maya Santamaria—President of Santamaria Broadcasting, parent company of La Raza Minnesota and Amor Radio MN, prominent Spanish-language radio stations in the Twin Cities—who is leading engagement efforts within Minnesota’s Hispanic community. MNAPG and Santamaria are raising awareness, reducing stigma and connecting families to prevention and treatment resources. To help address problem gambling, during March, Santamaria Broadcasting is running its own digital campaign to reach the Latino and Spanish-speaking communities.

“Language barriers continue to limit access to care, with no Spanish-speaking health care professionals available locally and few culturally relevant resources nationwide,” says Maya Santamaria, president of Santamaria Broadcasting. “Although gambling may be culturally accepted, problem gambling is still highly stigmatized. Expanding culturally competent, Spanish-language support is essential to breaking that stigma and connecting resources with those who need help.”

In an effort to encourage Minnesotans to start talking about problem gambling and discover where to find help, MNAPG is re-releasing the “Let’s Talk About It” campaign statewide. The campaign features an elephant destroying an American family room with the call to action to talk about problem gambling—the proverbial “elephant in the room.” In addition to that, MNAPG is promoting National Problem Gambling Screening Day to behavioral health and mental health providers.

Resources for Concerned Others

MNAPG recognizes that it may not be easy to start a conversation about problem gambling, but failing to engage in a conversation will result in harder issues down the road. The organization partners with the Minnesota Lottery to help expand awareness to those individuals and families who may be struggling with problem gambling. MNAPG calls on people who are concerned a loved one may have a gambling problem to find tips and resources online at https://mnapg.org/gambling-addiction/concerned-others/.

Signs of those struggling with gambling may include:

• Increased frequency of gambling activity.
• Gambling for significantly longer periods of time than originally planned.
• Boasting about wins but never talking about losses.
• Lying about how money is spent.
• Turning to other excesses to relieve gambling stress (alcohol, sleep, video games, etc.)

Sheridan Tucker encourages those seeking help to call the Minnesota Helpline at 1-800-333-HOPE. For more information about MNAPG and tools for increasing awareness of problem gambling, visit www.mnapg.org.

About the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling

MNAPG is a non-profit, gambling-neutral organization dedicated to improving the lives of Minnesotans affected by problem gambling. MNAPG is a coalition of individuals and organizations sharing the belief that problem gambling is a serious public health problem that is both treatable and preventable. MNAPG works to raise public awareness about problem gambling and the stigma that’s often associated with it. We advocate for funding for treatment programs and provide professional training for those who work with problem gamblers. The collective impact of our efforts helps individuals, their families and their communities deal with the devastating effects of problem gambling.

About the Minnesota State Lottery

Since 1990, the lottery has generated $4.3 billion for programs that positively impact the lives of Minnesotans. More than $1.7 billion has helped preserve, restore and protect Minnesota’s environment through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, Game and Fish Fund and the Natural Resources Fund. Another $2.3 billion has helped fund state programs, including education, public safety and health and human services. Lottery dollars also support programs to help prevent and treat problem gambling. For more information visit www.mnlottery.com.