Penn State campaign launched to address gambling addiction risks among students

A Penn State group that supports students in recovery from various addictions has launched a campaign to raise awareness of problem gambling following the opening of Happy Valley Casino.

The “Know the Odds” initiative, launched by the Penn State Collegiate Recovery Community, focuses on early intervention and reducing stigma around seeking help, targeting the wider Penn State community.

As part of the campaign, the group hosted a virtual awareness webinar in collaboration with Centre County Communications, a student-run public relations agency at Penn State, to educate students about gambling risks and connect those in need with support resources.

Jason Whitney, director of the recovery community, said gambling addiction shares similarities with substance abuse and chronic health conditions, reports Centre Daily Times.

“Gambling triggers many sorts of different biochemical processes that mimic severe drug addiction,” Whitney said. “Even if you are not taking drugs, it’s almost as though gambling is an addiction to the drugs your own body makes.”

Whitney noted that individuals seeking quick access to large sums of money and those with existing substance use issues are among the most vulnerable, noting that “crossover addictions” are common.

The campaign also highlighted the risks of online gambling platforms, sports betting apps and gaming systems that involve real-money transactions, which organisers said are widely marketed to younger users.

“Online gambling is going to destroy our generation, especially the younger male population, if it is not controlled,” said Carly Spiel, a webinar moderator.

The programme emphasised that gambling disorders should be treated as chronic conditions requiring long-term behavioural changes and ongoing support.

“The name of the game in recovery is not necessarily just stopping,” Whitney said. “It’s about staying stopped and maintaining that lifestyle change, treating it that seriously as something that can ruin their lives and/or kill them. The main way this disease kills people is suicide.”

Whitney added that gambling-related debt can be particularly damaging. “Debt alone can ruin your life, and gambling and debt together are very difficult to escape from,” he said.

The webinar also featured a personal account from student Charles Benedict, who described the psychological pull of gambling.

“It is as impulsive as a drug addiction,” Benedict said. “Sometimes losing felt even better than winning to me, and that’s a common theme, where sometimes the loss causes more adrenaline and more of a rush.”

Benedict said he accumulated significant debt and initially hid his addiction due to shame. “I remember hiding it from everyone because I was embarrassed and felt ashamed. These feelings kept me from opening up and getting help,” he said.

The recovery community offers support services including peer groups, recovery housing and 12-step programmes, and reports low relapse rates among participants.