FanDuel Introduces New Mental Health Collaboration and Support Efforts During Problem Gambling Awareness Month
NEW YORK, March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FanDuel, North America's premier online gaming company, today announced a series of initiatives and financial support focused on raising awareness of the importance of responsible play during Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
New Mental Health Services Collaboration
FanDuel is joining forces with Kindbridge Behavioral Health (Kindbridge), a pioneering mental health service provider dedicated to supporting individuals facing challenges related to problem gambling. The first phase of the relationship will focus on a pilot program in New Jersey and Ohio that supports self-excluded players with direct access to comprehensive mental health assessments and group support services.
The pilot program will provide resources for individuals in need to schedule appointments immediately with specialized problem gambling outpatient treatment providers via telehealth services. As part of the initiative, individuals who self-exclude from the FanDuel platform in New Jersey and Ohio will now be able to receive a complimentary mental health assessment and gain access to a range of peer support and educational groups designed to underpin their recovery journey.
"Our team works year-round at FanDuel to equip and support our customers to play responsibly," said Alison Kutler, Vice President, Sustainability and Responsible Gaming for FanDuel. "As we mark Problem Gambling Awareness Month, I'm excited to work with a growing roster of partners to expand access to problem gambling support resources."
"We are thrilled to be working with FanDuel to offer vital mental health support for players in need," added Daniel Umfleet, CEO of Kindbridge Behavioral Health. "This collaboration is deeply resonant, extending a compassionate hand to those navigating the complex terrain of problem gambling. At the heart of our ethos lies a fervent belief in the power of accessible mental health resources to illuminate paths toward healing and recovery."
Reinforcing Support of Non-Profit Partnerships
As part of the company's continued commitment to support problem gambling prevention, FanDuel will donate $150,000 to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) that will further support the NCPG's Agility Grants program, which is funded by the NFL via the NFL Foundation. This program provides funding to non-profit organizations across the country for problem gambling prevention in areas that currently have no services or to expand existing programming.
FanDuel will also donate an additional $150,000 to the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), an organization dedicated to helping individuals and families affected by gambling disorder and preventing the onset of gambling problems through high-quality scientific research and evidence-based educational programming. The donation will help fund research to understand gambling behavior in the U.S. and enhance the industry's tools to identify potential harm, mitigate risk, and improve responsible gambling programs.
"Investing in prevention is key to mitigating gambling-related harm," said Keith Whyte, NCPG Executive Director. "We appreciate FanDuel's support of NCPG and their proactive and collaborative approach to providing problem gambling prevention, research and treatment resources."
"FanDuel's support continues to play a huge role in ICRG's research and development," stated Arthur Paikowsky, President of ICRG. "We are honored to work with FanDuel as we commit to advocating for the importance of responsible gaming."
Rewarding Customer Tool Usage at Retail Locations
Throughout March, FanDuel is rewarding the use of responsible gaming tools including deposit, wager and time limits in select retail locations across the country. Customers who show a staff member that they are using a tool to manage their play will be offered a FanDuel 'Play Well' branded gift for playing responsibly. This promotion will be available beginning in mid-March in Phoenix, Chicago and Washington, D.C.
All of these initiatives play a key role in Flutter's global sustainability strategy, the Positive Impact Plan. Focused on leveraging universal principles to promote responsible gaming across global markets where Flutter operates, the Group has set a goal for 50% of online customers globally to be using a responsible gaming tool by the end of 2026. For more information on FanDuel and its commitment to responsible play, visit fanduel.com/rg.
About FanDuel Group
FanDuel Group is an innovative sports-tech entertainment company that is changing the way consumers engage with their favorite sports, teams, and leagues. The premier mobile gaming destination in the United States, FanDuel Group consists of a portfolio of leading brands across sports betting, iGaming, horse racing, advance-deposit wagering and daily fantasy sports. In addition, FanDuel Group operates FanDuel TV, its broadly distributed linear cable television network and FanDuel TV+, its leading direct-to-consumer OTT platform. FanDuel Group has a presence across all 50 states with approximately 17 million customers and 25 retail locations. The company is based in New York with offices in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Jersey City, as well as in Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Romania and Australia. FanDuel Group is a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment plc, the world's largest sports betting and gaming operator with a portfolio of globally recognized brands and traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: FLUT).
About Kindbridge Behavioral Health
Kindbridge Behavioral Health is a pioneering mental health service provider dedicated to supporting individuals facing challenges related to problem gambling and other prevalent mental health issues. With a mission to provide comprehensive care and accessible resources, Kindbridge is committed to helping people take control of their recovery journey, as well as provide necessary mental health education amongst corporate executives, athletes, academia, policy makers, and peers in clinical counseling. If interested in learning more, please visit www.kindbridge.com or call 1-877-426-4258.
Media Contact:
FanDuel Group
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