When Response for Teens Lead Community Educator Brittany Sue Hines recognized that youth gambling was becoming an increasing concern in the community, she developed a Youth Problem Gambling Prevention curriculum. She recently tailored that program to present it to high school-aged pre-professional soccer players at the Chicago Fire Academy.

“This curriculum focuses on the ways in which young people are gambling/betting, why young people and their developing brains are especially susceptible to gambling marketing and addiction, the signs and symptoms of problem gambling, and how they might practice healthy decision-making when it comes to activities such as sports betting and online gaming,” Brittany Sue said.

But even more important for this group was highlighting the troubling trend of athletes receiving online threats from people who lost a sports bet, she said. One in three high-profile athletes receives threatening messages from someone with a betting interest.

“Though the statistics are upsetting, it felt empowering to give young athletes this information and set them up for success in their inevitable NCAA or professional careers,” Brittany Sue said. “This program aims to uplift them in recognizing that their performance is not to blame for that person's financial loss and to direct them to resources they can access and people they trust should this happen to them.”

Brittany Sue said the workshop received overwhelmingly positive feedback. The student athletes asked thoughtful questions and felt comfortable enough to pose solid anonymous questions for her to answer when she returns for another session.

One of the team’s trainers commented that as a former college athlete himself, he could attest to receiving online abuse from people who wagered on his games and lost money. He said he had not been warned about this possibility and there were few resources available.

“He said the fact that we are talking about this now with student athletes at this age was so important, and he was thrilled to know that this education exists,” Brittany said.

The photo accompanying this story was taken when Brittany spoke at the National Council on Problem Gambling conference in Columbus, Ohio last summer.