The Michigan Gaming Control Board’s responsible-gambling site, “Don’t Regret the Bet,” won a Platinum Hermes Creative Award from the Association of Marketing Communication Professionals, according to the board’s June 23 announcement. The award recognised a site that the agency said had been expanded into a more substantial public resource for Michigan residents.
The board said the website had grown from a single-page resource into a comprehensive multi-page hub. It now includes educational tools, support resources, downloadable materials and guidance for players, families, educators and community organisations.
A central part of the expansion was the launch of “Don’t Bet On Your Future,” a youth-focused initiative aimed at reducing early exposure to online gambling and sports betting among teens. The board linked that focus to concerns that sports betting is becoming more normal through social media, online advertising and professional sports partnerships.
The announcement cited a University of Minnesota study, attributed to researcher Dr. Ken Winters, as part of the motivation for the effort. The study says teens who gamble are four times more likely to develop a serious gambling problem later in life.
MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said the expansion was about more than adding pages and was meant to create a meaningful public resource because online gambling has become more visible and accessible than ever before. The board said the award reflected the site’s reach and impact as a trusted source for Michigan gamblers, families and communities.
The site was refreshed shortly before March Madness, which the board described as one of the busiest betting periods of the year. The timing was meant to make responsible-gaming resources available during peak wagering activity.
The board also pointed readers to DontRegretTheBet.org for more information about the campaign and the resources available there. It said gambling is for entertainment purposes only and directed people with gambling problems to 1-800-GAMBLER or 800gambler.org, where help is available 24/7, free and confidential.
Michigan residents can also use the state’s Responsible Gaming page for information on self-exclusion programmes, including the Disassociated Persons List and the Internet Gaming and Sports Betting Responsible Gaming Database. The board said residents can also claim a free licence for Gamban’s gambling-blocking software through a partnership with Gamban.
