Kindbridge Research Institute to boost awareness for gambling problems within the military

The Kindbridge Research Institute has launched a new initiative that seeks to address problem gambling within the military community by boosting awareness for the issue.

This will be achieved by introducing the newly formed Military Gambling Awareness Committee (MGAC), which is intended to start addressing and tackling the festering but often ignored issues of problem gambling that plague serving and former members of the military community.

MGAC seeks to close policy gaps in addressing problem gambling in the military

MGAC will seek to enhance the welfare as well as operational readiness of members of the community and create an environment in which they can talk openly about gambling-related harms, which have been a festering part of military life, with people who serve in the military at a much higher chance of actually developing a problem. MGAC’s members currently include:

• Chairperson: Mark Lucia, a Senior Military Research Associate at Kindbridge Research Institute
• Policy Advisor: Brianne Doura-Schawohl, founder and CEO of Doura-Schawohl Consulting LLC
• Gambling Industry Representative: Richard Taylor, Director of Responsible Gambling at BetMGM
• Sports Industry Representative: Joe Solosky, Managing Director of Sports Betting at NASCAR
• Technology/Security Expert: Joseph Martin, CEO of Kinectify
• Public Affairs Advisor: Caroline Ponseti, a communications strategist at Invariant
• Educational Program Developer: David Yeager, a veteran of the United States Army and a gambling addiction recovery advocate

MGAC will not operate in a vacuum, collaborating with the military and the Department of Defense and driving the message home that problem gambling is a serious matter that must be addressed head-on.

The Kindbridge Research Institute will seek to identify and close policy gaps while leveraging an evidence-based approach to advise on what adjustments ought to be made to help protect members of the military community from the pernicious effects of gambling and long-lasting mental issues that originate in them.

This is not a universal problem to the US military alone, as people who serve in the army, and most of all, participate in combat duty, are at a much greater risk of developing a string of mental issues that problem gambling and gambling addiction themselves precipitate.

Fostering an environment of awareness for gambling problems within the army

Commenting on this, Kindbridge Research Institute Executive Director Nathan D. Smith said that the well-being of service members is what should be in focus here. The project will focus on boosting and supporting their mental health.

"By bringing together a diverse group of experts, we aim to identify and address the gaps in current policies and provide comprehensive solutions that will enhance the overall health and readiness of our military personnel," Dr Nathan said.

Kindbridge Research Institute Senior Military Research Associated and MGAC Chair, Mark Lucia, confirmed that the military community faced various challenges that impact their well-being as well as readiness to serve. The solution, Lucia explained, was rooted in creating a proactive, informed environment where the issues can be tackled and a culture of awareness and support within the military may become prevalent.

Kindbridge has already collaborated with multiple private companies, helping them bolster their RG commitment. Most recently, Kindbridge Behavioral Health, teamed up with PrizePicks and DraftKings.

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