1 November 2022

 NCAA and EPIC Risk Management continue progress in delivering ground-breaking player protection program
The program provides face to face education and awareness sessions to NCAA student-athletes.

November 1, 2022: Colleges and universities across the US in all three NCAA divisions are improving student-athletes’ awareness of gambling risks and potential harm as sports betting continues to be legalized in more than 30 states.

Thanks to funding provided by Entain Foundation U.S., EPIC Risk Management has provided a customized education and awareness player protection program to student-athletes, coaches, game officials, health care personnel, and support personnel, educating them on the risks associated with gambling and sports wagering integrity.

EPIC Risk Management has been able to conduct 158 of face-to-face education sessions across 46 of colleges in 22 states across the U.S. having reached up to 8,000 of NCAA collegiate athletes and staff.

“We are pleased that this collaboration has reached so many student-athletes,” said NCAA Executive Vice President for Regulatory Affairs Stan Wilcox. “The risks associated with sports wagering are abundant, and the education provided by EPIC Risk Management is invaluable for student-athletes, coaches, administrators and officials. We appreciate the teamwork to help protect the integrity of college sports and the well-being of everyone involved.”

“Entain Foundation U.S. is proud to support EPIC Risk Management on the face-to-face delivery of problem gambling awareness and player protection workshops to NCAA college-athletes across the country,” says Martin Lycka, Entain plc’s Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling and Trustee of Entain Foundation U.S. “We are glad that the funding provided by Entain Foundation U.S. has helped EPIC, the global leaders in delivery of problem gambling education, to have such a huge impact on one of the highest-risk populations.”

Globally, Entain Foundation has pledged to invest $132 million in responsible gambling initiatives over the next five years, including an investment in the face-to-face element of the NCAA educational program facilitated by Epic Risk Management.

“We are delighted to be able to work closely with colleges around the nation on this essential education and awareness program. There is a collective responsibility to ensure the minimization of potential gambling harms, and the promotion of player safety. Our collaboration with Entain Foundation U.S. represents a key strategic piece of our prevention pillar, and it is great that so many organizations are recognizing the importance of education and awareness for this potentially high-risk population,” said John Millington, Director of Sports Partnerships with EPIC Risk Management.

EPIC Risk Management delivers ground-breaking harm minimization programs, safer gambling training, and class-leading advisory to help individuals and organizations across the highest risk sectors in the sports wagering ecosystem to minimize the risks posed by gambling harm.

Since March 2020, Entain Foundation U.S. has funded projects facilitated by EPIC Risk Management to deliver harm minimization and player protection education to professional and college athletes across the U.S. To date, 46 colleges in the U.S. have taken part in the nationwide educational initiative, which includes live, in-person educational workshops and seminars, pre-recorded sessions, and on-demand virtual resources. This work will continue to run concurrently with the NCAA roll-out.

“We enjoyed having EPIC Risk Management on campus during Problem Gambling Awareness Month,” said Danielle Davison, Director of Compliance Services at Clemson University Athletics Department. “The personal stories really captured our audience of student-athletes and staff members and allowed them to understand some of the psychological connections between the highs associated with winning in athletics and a similar high experienced by problem gamblers.”

In just the last year, the number of colleges and universities launching formal workshops and training programs on gambling harm has jumped more than 30 percent, with more schools in discussions for their own program later this year.

Entain Foundation U.S. and EPIC Risk Management have extended their educational campaign since its initial launch to more colleges and universities.  They have facilitated sessions at a range of schools including the University of Maryland College Park (MD), Fordham University (NY) and Clemson University (SC).

"Fordham Athletics is excited to engage with EPIC Risk Management to educate our student-athletes around the dangers of problematic gambling and the ever-growing risk that sports betting brings to both student-athletes and institutions,” said Shannon Raymond, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at Fordham University.

-ENDS-

Media Contacts

About Entain Foundation U.S.
Entain Foundation U.S. is a first-of-its-kind non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible gambling, sports integrity and corporate compliance in the U.S. The Foundation was launched in 2019 by the Entain Global Foundation and the Entain Group. Trustees of Entain Foundation U.S. include Entain’s Martin Lycka, former New York Giants wide receiver and Super Bowl Champion Amani Toomer and international gambling regulatory expert Bill Pascrell III, a partner at Princeton Public Affairs Group. Entain Foundation U.S. also sponsors a variety of information and education programs on problem gambling for professional athletes, collegiate athletes, coaches and teams at 40 U.S colleges and universities and several associated leagues. Globally, the Entain Foundation has committed more than $100 million to responsible gambling programs over the next five years. For more information see the group’s website: https://entainfoundation-us.com/

About EPIC Risk Management
Epic Risk Management is a global leading independent gambling harm minimization consultancy that draws on lived experience to help individuals and organizations across financial services, elite sport, the military, criminal justice, education, and the gambling industry to minimize the risks posed by gambling harm. For more information on EPIC Risk Management visit https://www.epicriskmanagement.com/