The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) expands its gambling harm prevention message to Ontario’s post-secondary campuses through a new program in partnership with iGaming Ontario.
RGC’s post-secondary tour will visit 40 publicly funded college and university campuses in Ontario throughout the academic year.
The Post-Secondary Campus Tour expands RGC’s prevention work funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Health to 20 new campuses with a focus on 10,000 student interactions.
Targeting 10,000 Student Interactions
“Young adults are growing up in a world where sports betting is a common aspect of how they engage with sports,” said Sarah McCarthy, CEO of Responsible Gambling Council.
“Engaging students on campus at crucial moments is how we educate them on the risks associated with gambling and provide them with options. Thanks to iGaming Ontario’s support, we can now reach nearly all publicly funded campuses in the province.”
New elements in the program include the distribution of 10,000 Student Education Kits over the year and an interactive education program called The Random Tower, facilitated by RGC-trained ambassadors.
Random Tower Teaches Risk
The program, resembling a giant Jenga game, features messages on gambling safety and harm reduction printed on the blocks.
Participants may pull a block with a prompt like “What are signs of harmful gambling?” while trying to maintain the structure. These messages highlight how gambling and sports betting are influenced by factors beyond individual control, such as randomness or unexpected outcomes.
When the tower collapses, the educational takeaway is that the game’s outcome is unpredictable and not within the student’s control.
BetGuard Part of Campus Messaging
Peer-aged educational ambassadors also discuss BetGuard with students, a province-wide self-exclusion system for iGaming players launched by iGaming Ontario on behalf of the Ontario government.
“We are pleased to introduce BetGuard, offering Ontarians a convenient way to take a break from regulated online gambling,” said Joseph Hillier, President and CEO of iGaming Ontario.
“This initiative is a part of our holistic responsible gaming strategy, which includes ongoing education on risks and guidance on accessing support when needed.”