California has launched a statewide media campaign on problem gambling, seeking to help residents identify warning signs and reach confidential, no-cost support. The California Department of Public Health announced “The Odds Don’t Have to Stay Against You” on Sept. 17; the campaign runs through July 2029.
The effort is aimed at people experiencing gambling harms, those at risk, and relatives, friends and communities affected by gambling. It will promote early recognition, treatment pathways and messages intended to be clear, relatable and empathetic, with content available in multiple languages.
“Problem gambling can quietly and powerfully affect the health and stability of individuals, families and communities,” said Dr. Erica Pan, the department’s director and state public health officer. CDPH said the campaign is intended to give people practical tools to spot risky behaviour sooner and encourage more open discussion of an issue that can remain hidden until it affects finances, relationships or well-being.
The campaign will appear on broadcast radio, digital display advertising, social media, search and influencer channels. The department also plans targeted out-of-home advertising near casinos and other high-traffic locations.
Its launch follows evidence of a sizeable affected population. A California Health Interview Survey found that about one in four adults, or 7.2 million people, had gambled in the previous year. Of those, about 488,000, or 6.7%, reported symptoms of problem gambling, according to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
CDPH defines those symptoms as an uncontrollable urge to gamble or gambling-related financial harm, deteriorating relationships or mental-health problems. The survey also found that gambling adults reported several behaviours associated with greater risk of poor health outcomes, including binge drinking, smoking, vaping and substance use.
UCLA found that about one-quarter of adults with problem-gambling symptoms had experienced serious psychological distress in the prior year, compared with 13.5% of gambling adults without such symptoms. Only 28.2% of gambling adults with symptoms said they had seen a health care provider in the previous year to discuss mental health, alcohol or drug use.
CDPH said it developed the campaign after literature reviews, interviews with experts and stakeholders, an assessment of earlier media campaigns, a statewide survey of nearly 1,400 people and nine focus groups involving more than 50 participants. That research included people with gambling problems, people considered at risk, and affected relatives and friends from diverse communities.
The department’s Office of Problem Gambling also offers a three-question Gambling Assessment intended to help people and their loved ones recognise gambling-related harms. It is a self-assessment rather than a diagnostic tool. Support is available around the clock through 1-800-GAMBLER, by texting SUPPORT to 53342, or through 800gambler.chat.
