Youth Gambling on the Rise Nationally including Western MA: FREE Local Community Event Set to Bring Awareness
Springfield, Mass. - Gambling isn’t usually prioritized as a major issue for teenagers, yet nearly 50 percent of sixth through eighth graders have engaged in some form of gambling and it’s a growing problem for youth nationwide.
“Problem gambling is something that is very private. It’s not something you can easily tell someone’s going through versus drugs or alcoholism,” said Tiffany Rufino, the Youth Mental Health Coalition Manager at the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. “People won’t know almost until it’s too late.”
To help raise awareness the Coalition will host a free program on May 18 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Basketball Hall of Fame. The event is organized by a group of youth known as Beat the Odds, who selected the topic of teen gambling.
The highlight of the evening is a short film, “A Trouble with ¢hange,” followed by videos to help families discuss concerns around gambling. Dinner will be served on the center court, with a DJ and 360 photo booth as entertainment. Guests can learn more about teen mental health by walking through an area of data with surprising statistics.
“Beat the Odds youth are tasked with bringing community awareness around youth mental health, and topics that are of interest to young people around mental health,” Rufino said.
The program targets youth in grades six through 12 but is open to families or anyone in the community who works with youth. Although the event is free, guests are asked to register to ensure enough food is available.
An Emerging Concern
The Youth Mental Health Coalition was funded in 2019, a year after the MGM Casino opened in Springfield. Ruffino said that with the casino’s opening, the top concern that emerged from community discussions was youth behavioral health.
“Online gambling has been legalized. Our young people are specifically being targeted through video games,” she said. “Young people are running up ridiculous bills for their parents.”
Beat the Odds is comprised of approximately 30 teens from two different organizations. They meet weekly to discuss issues facing community youth. Their main focus is organizing an annual event in May coinciding with Mental Health Month. They lead the implementation of and communication around the event.
Tiffany Rufino
“I think many times we as adults try and talk to youth and we try and dictate how to make their lives better,” Rufino said, which she believes is less productive than including youth in the conversation.
“They’re very resilient and intelligent, and they know what they need,” she added. Beat the Odds involves the youth in conversations to determine what initiatives they would like to be the focus, and then to implement education around these initiatives.
“We really try and just guide conversations with them and listen to what they have to say, and try to make whatever they decide they want to do come to fruition because that’s what their peers are really going to listen to,” Rufino said.
As teen gambling increases, the Coalition has sought ways to educate the community through social media and websites. One statistic shows that the odds of being struck by lightning are higher than hitting a jackpot on a slot machine or winning $10,000 on a scratch ticket.
Connecting the Community
The event will be promoted on the Stand Out Truck® thanks to the Coalition’s sponsorship of a Parent Villages event. This is the first time the organization has used the truck and Rufino is looking forward to seeing it around town.
“I’m really excited for the opportunity honestly,” she said.
Rufino grew up in Springfield and has spent her career in community development, ensuring that kids have opportunities and know they have bright futures. Being from the community, she’s passionate about including organizations in activities through the coalition, whether it’s Springfield Public Schools, private institutions, clinicians, or research organizations.
“We don’t operate within a silo. We have so many people that contribute to the Youth Mental Health Coalition,” she said. “We try to make sure that whatever we’re doing as a coalition, we have community involved. We’re not making decisions and hoping they land and stick.”
Rufino knows that success centers on including all impacted entities, starting with the youth, and making sure educational resources are available for everyone. Giving teens a voice is one way to drive the message in the community.
“I’m grateful to be able to work with youth and to see how they’re able to impact change,” she said.
Follow Beat the Odds’ activities on social media, @413beattheodds.
For more information or to help someone who might have a gambling problem, visit https://mcoepgp.org/lets-talk-risk/ or Morethanmymood.org/gambling.
Want your own story to STAND OUT? Visit standouttruck.com/contact and schedule a free appointment to hear how we can drive awareness for your business or organization.
