EPIC, University of Michigan continue working together on raising problem gambling awareness

EPIC Risk Management, a company that specializes in raising awareness for problem gambling and gambling harm, has confirmed that it will continue to collaborate with the University of Michigan, as part of a program designed to educate student-athletes on the risks that come from the newly-regulated and fast-expanding sports betting market.

So far, EPIC has had the opportunity to collaborate with the NCAA and visit more than 75 college campuses per year to spread the message and help students understand the risks of sports gambling better. One of those campuses was the University of Michigan where EPIC Head of Delivery Mark Potter spoke to 170 student-athletes.

Potter is someone who has lived experience of gambling harm while he was involved in professional sport, which puts him in an ideal position to explain the dangers that students may face if they are not careful. The issue of problem gambling in sports and colleges is now more seriously addressed, argues the assistant athletic director, NCAA rules and NIL education, at the University of Michigan Danielle Davidson.

Davidson argues that administrations are now putting the matter front and center in the way they address sports and sports betting in general and have a deeper understanding of such matters. Potter has hailed the involvement that the University of Michigan has shown to educate student-athletes about the problem and help them have the tools and means to address it.

"We're delighted to come to Michigan to provide education for the student-athletes and make sure they're equipped to deal with all of the risks that can come their way in the coming years," he stated.

This collaboration was similarly welcomed by EPIC Risk Management CEO Paul Buck who also used the opportunity to thank the Entain Foundation US, a key EPIC partner in the United States, which has also been working hard to promote a safer and more responsible gambling industry.

The Entain Foundation US has been providing EPIC with the funding to carry out its mission across the United States, including at the University of Michigan. The financial support has been described as "fundamental."

Apart from working with the NCAA, EPIC is also working with NFLPA’s Professional Athletes Foundation (PAF) as well as the Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA), a recognition of its significant efforts and proven track record the company has under its belt.

EPIC’s involvement in professional and collegiate sports comes at a particularly important time when sports betting manipulation in both verticals has increased. EPIC Risk Management was recently named a shirt sponsor for Slough FC in the United Kingdom, one of the few instances in which a company that addresses problem gambling has appeared on the shirts of soccer players.

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