TDMHSAS Announces $3M Available for Youth Gambling Prevention and Awareness

Convened during the summer and fall by TDMHSAS, the Youth Gambling Prevention and Awareness Work Group identified the need for stronger prevention and messaging, youth and parent engagement, workforce training, school-based education, early identification, treatment and referral pathways, recovery support, data and evaluation, and collaboration across agencies. The full report can be viewed at TN.gov/behavioral-health/youthgamblingreport

The department is currently soliciting proposals from public agencies, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, community-based organizations, and licensed providers with expertise relevant to the proposed strategy area to address the needs identified by the work group. Those proposals will be reviewed, scored, and awarded competitively. Projects will be funded from two pools: $1.5 million in recurring dollars and $1.5 million in non-recurring. The projects will build the evidence, partnerships, resources, and service infrastructure needed to strengthen Tennessee's coordinated, youth-focused response to gambling-related harm.

"Taking a coordinated approach across sectors is critical to the success of this complicated effort," said Tennessee Sports Wagering Council Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas. "At the Sports Wagering Council, we're focused on eradicating illegal platforms from Tennessee, in part because they prey upon our youth by not restricting minors from accessing their site and accepting credit, among other predatory practices. We applaud the department for convening this collection of leaders from across the state to bring to bear their expertise on this important topic, and we look forward to working together as this advances."

"Tennessee youth are increasingly exposed to gambling-related ads, content, apps, and online financial risk-taking. The State is well positioned to address youth gambling because of dedicated funding, clinical and research partners, a statewide helpline, and strong education, health, prevention, youth, family, and regulatory networks," said TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW. "We want to thank everyone who served on the work group for their time and effort because their recommendations offer a framework to connect these resources into one coordinated system focused on youth."

While most of the work group's findings are related to prevention and early intervention, Tennessee families currently have access to free treatment through The Gambling Clinic, which is funded by TDMHSAS. The Gambling Clinic offers in-person counseling in Memphis, Nashville, and Johnson City or across the state via telehealth. As part of the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act, TDMHSAS receives 5 percent of the privilege tax assessed on licensed sportsbooks. Current gambling treatment services and services awarded through this announcement are funded with that revenue.

Recent Tennessee data demonstrate the need for a coordinated, age-appropriate response to youth gambling. Although legal gambling includes age limits and consumer protections, young people continue to encounter and participate in gambling through social media, mobile applications, video games with gambling-like features, informal betting, and illegal gambling websites.

The 2024-25 TN Together Student Survey of more than 11,000 students from 34 Tennessee counties reported:

• Fifteen percent (15%) reported gambling during the past 30 days
• Among the 15 percent who reported recent gambling,
  • 43 percent gambled on six or more days; and
  • One in four reported sometimes or often thinking about gambling or planning to gamble in the last 30 days.
• The average age of gambling initiation was about 12 years old

The Announcement of Funding can be viewed on the TDMHSAS Department Funding Opportunities page at this link. Learn more about TDMHSAS Problem Gambling Programs at this link.