The Vermont Department of Mental Health is taking proactive steps to address gambling issues.
The department has launched a responsible gambling website, providing residents with resources for the prevention and treatment of sports betting and other gambling addictions. The website aims to support approximately 11,600 Vermonters suffering from gambling disorders.
Dr. Kelly Klein, Medical Director of the Mental Health Department, said:
We need more resources. We already have lotteries and scratch cards, and some people are addicted to them. However, we anticipate that the number of people with gambling problems or at risk of gambling addiction will increase with the introduction of online sports betting.
The new website offers Vermont residents 24-hour live chat and free hotline services, as well as anonymous gambling cessation and other community resources. It also allows individuals to add themselves to a gambling self-exclusion list, with periods ranging from one year to lifetime.
As Vermont's sports betting market matures, the department is providing responsible gambling resources.
