Press Release  Office of Problem Gambling Services expands support for people affected by gambling harm during recovery month

Boston — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Office of Problem Gambling Services (OPGS) today announced an expansion of recovery supports for people affected by gambling harm, introducing a new mobile application that will be available alongside the Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline beginning this month in recognition of National Recovery Month.

The new mobile app strengthens the state’s recovery continuum by offering a digital space where individuals can connect with others and begin rebuilding healthier habits, one step at a time. Through daily check‑ins, progress tracking, and evidence‑based lessons, the app provides practical tools that help people reduce harm, regain control of their lives, and move toward long‑term recovery. The app’s peer support features also create connection for those who may feel isolated or unsure about taking the next step toward treatment.

This new resource is designed for people who may not yet feel ready for clinical services but are seeking a safe, supportive way to start making changes. It adds another pathway into recovery — one that meets people where they are and helps them move forward at their own pace.

“Gambling harm is a public health issue, and it reaches far beyond the person placing the bet,” said Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. “Meeting people where they are means meeting them on the devices they already carry. Massachusetts has been deliberate about building a response grounded in evidence and in the experience of the people it serves, and this is the next step in that work for the Office of Problem Gambling Services.”

Observed each September since 1989, National Recovery Month recognizes the millions of people living in recovery from substance use and mental health conditions, and the community and clinical support that makes that recovery possible. Gambling disorder belongs in that conversation: it carries the same patterns of stigma and isolation, and the same evidence that recovery is possible when support is available and sustained.

The timing of the app’s rollout is deliberate. September marks the start of football season, a stretch of months that represents a significant increase in gambling engagement.  It is the season when a quiet strain becomes harder to carry, and when the people around a person experiencing gambling harm begin looking for somewhere to turn.

For many people, the hardest moment is not only the decision to seek help but also the environment in which they find themselves — late at night, after a loss, when no appointment is scheduled, and they find themselves alone. The mobile app becomes a resource for people to connect and engage and begin their recovery journey.

“Recovery is not one decision. It is a series of moments when someone needs a door and finds one open,” said Victor Ortiz, Director of the Office of Problem Gambling Services at DPH. “For 10 years, we’ve listened closely to people living this experience. They’ve told us, time and again, that support needs to be there around the clock. What we’re offering now is a direct response to what they’ve asked for. It doesn’t replace the helpline — it extends it, so people feel supported whenever they need us.”

Helpline support continues in multiple languages

The Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline continues to offer assistance in Spanish and additional languages at no cost and in confidence, at 800-327-5050. The new mobile tool will launch in English.

How to get support

Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline: 800-327-5050. Free, confidential, multilingual, available 24/7. Online chat at MAProblemGamblingHelpline.Org. The new mobile support tool, Evive, is available for download at no cost on iOS and Android.

About the Office of Problem Gambling Services

The Office of Problem Gambling Services was established within the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to build a public health response to gambling harm across the Commonwealth, spanning prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support. OPGS works with community organizations, clinicians, and people with lived experience to reduce gambling-related harm in Massachusetts. Learn more at Mass.Gov/Orgs/OPGS.

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