Kindbridge Launches New Responsible Gambling Initiative Focused on Military Personnel
Kindbridge Research Institute (KRI) has announced the launch of a new responsible gambling initiative in Colorado designed to support military personnel and their families dealing with gambling-related harms and related mental health issues. The statewide program, called Stigma Stand Down, is focused on building resilience within active-duty service members, veterans, and their loved ones while addressing the challenges linked to compulsive gambling.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Colorado is home to more than 60,000 active-duty, guard, and reserve personnel. With the legalization and rapid growth of sports betting across the state, KRI stated that this initiative comes at a critical moment for military communities.
Related: Senate Committee Advances Gambling Addiction Research BillStigma Stand Down aims to normalize conversations around mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance misuse and gambling-related harms.
Mark Lucia, director of programming at KRI, emphasized that stigma acts as an invisible barrier that leaves service members and veterans feeling isolated. This isolation can harm families, weaken unit cohesion, and undermine mission readiness. By addressing the stigma directly, the initiative seeks to open up dialogue, reduce shame, and promote healthier coping strategies.
The launch of the initiative was timed to coincide with the beginning of the football season, which is traditionally the busiest period for sports betting. As part of the program, KRI is collaborating with Kindbridge Behavioral Health to provide free and confidential therapy sessions for military members and their families.
The initiative also offers access to the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS), a self-check tool designed to provide anonymous and personalized feedback, enabling early identification of potential gambling-related issues.
Research cited by KRI shows that gambling disorders are up to 3.5 times more common in military populations than among civilians. The heightened prevalence is linked to unique pressures such as deployments, transitions back to civilian life and the high-stress nature of military service. These conditions can increase vulnerability to problem gambling, making intervention and support programs particularly important for this group.
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Responsible Gambling in the Military Becomes Target
Broader industry and advocacy voices have also highlighted the urgency of addressing gambling harms among service members. Over the summer, Rich Taylor, director of responsible gambling at BetMGM, co-authored an article for the National Council on Problem Gambling that focused on the specific challenges facing military personnel.
Taylor noted that among veterans who seek treatment for gambling addiction, the attempted suicide rate approaches 40%, underscoring the severity of the issue.
Stigma Stand Down, supported by a number of federal legislators, joins a broader network of efforts aimed at reducing gambling-related harms within the military. Earlier this year, more than 20 state affiliates of the National Council on Problem Gambling, along with MGM Resorts, BetMGM and FanDuel, urged Congress to include gambling addiction as a research priority within the Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program.
The initiative builds on KRI's partnerships with academic institutions and organizations, including the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of New Mexico, Cactus Advertising Agency and Kindbridge Behavioral Health. Funding for Stigma Stand Down was provided in part by grants from the Colorado Division of Gaming and FanDuel, enabling the program to reach a broad audience and offer accessible resources to those in need.
Through its statewide rollout, Stigma Stand Down aims to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health and gambling issues in the military community while offering practical support through therapy and early detection tools. KRI emphasized that addressing gambling-related harms in this context not only benefits individuals and families but also contributes to the overall health and readiness of military units across Colorado.
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