Let’s Get Real About Gambling
It’s time to get real
With gambling and gambling culture normalized across Massachusetts, it’s difficult to talk honestly about mental health, individual risk, and community impact. And that’s a barrier to mounting an effective response to problem gambling, which affects tens of thousands of residents. That’s why we believe that it’s time to get real about gambling.
Getting real means addressing gambling in all its forms. It means having frank conversations about the impact of gambling and why some of us – especially people of color – are at a higher risk for problem gambling. It means making it our priority to prevent problem gambling and reduce the number of cases, not just treat those who already have a problem. 
While people often talk about problem gambling as an issue of personal responsibility, we’re leading a public health approach that focuses on prevention, community resilience, and honest dialogue – and everyone has a role to play.
It’s our responsibility. And the time to do it is now.

OPGS Ongoing Communications Campaigns

•	Visit mass.gov/ProblemGambling to access all materials
•	Visit gamblinghelplinema.org to learn more and access the problem gambling screener
•	Order materials at massclearinghouse.ehs.state.ma.us/category/GAMB.html