Birches Health: A crucial focus on responsible gaming

In March, Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) reminded us that behind gambling lies a serious public health issue the industry must play a part in tackling. A January 2025 American Psychiatric Association national survey revealed that more than a quarter of Americans may gamble online daily. That means nearly 100 million people in the US are likely to pull out their mobile phones, find a quiet place to open a computer, and/or generally find a way to place a bet online every single day.

The majority of these almost 100 million Americans who bet online daily may not ever need to seek out care for Gambling Disorder (the clinical designation for gambling addiction). However, for many that are in that minority and desperately need specialized treatment, the journey to find the necessary support for themselves, their families and their loved ones can be incredibly difficult.

The Lancet Commission on gambling estimated that 15.8% of adults and 26.4% of adolescents who gamble on online casino or slot products could be affected by Gambling Disorder. With sports betting products, they suggested 8.9% of adults and 16.3% of adolescents could be affected. Support for this population of individuals affected by Gambling Disorder is our central focus at Birches Health. Specialized clinical treatment is available across the US. Individuals struggling with their sports betting or gambling in general can receive care from the comfort of home from licensed, specially certified clinicians – with costs covered by insurance and state funding in select states. Demand for these services is increasing and more needs to be done through partnerships with state governments, the sports industry and all stakeholders in gaming.

Birches Health’s goal as a company and a goal of the industry is two-fold: to increase access to specialized Gambling Disorder resources for those at risk, but ultimately to decrease gambling-related harms to reduce the number of individuals who ever reach a point of crisis.Integrating access into the player experience

Additional proactive collaboration between governments, healthcare providers and the gaming industry is needed to make sure those who need care can access it as quickly as possible.

Historically, Gambling Disorder was not a benefit covered by private and public insurance companies and, therefore, was not an option for members across the US. With Gambling Disorder’s inclusion into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) in 2013, this began to change. Over the past few years, we have seen coverage accelerate – now even with many state Medicaid plans and organizations under a Medicaid Managed Care system beginning to reimburse for the diagnosis in different markets.

As the healthcare industry has augmented coverage for Gambling Disorder for those individuals who need care, the gaming industry must integrate direct treatment access into different facets of the bettor’s experience, within onboarding/signup experiences, and throughout their playing journey with always-on messaging and features.

In the wake of Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM), held every March, preventing problem gambling must remain a crucial focus for an industry that has both the resources and the responsibility to ensure that, if someone reaches the point of needing help, they can access specialized solutions.

Research shows that over 20% of Americans may struggle with behavioral health disorders like anxiety and depression. Gambling Disorder will most likely never reach that kind of prevalence. However, across the US today there are countless individuals and their families who are dealing with a never-ending barrage of questions; and a maze of unspecialized providers as they struggle to find access to high-quality clinical treatment for Gambling Disorder in a financially sustainable way. Today, as well as any other day, is the right time to focus on changing that.

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