[IMAGE] Tax Season is Upon Us: Can Gambling Losses Be Deducted?

Tax Season is Upon Us: Can Gambling Losses Be Deducted?

It’s that time of year again: tax filing season. While gathering your receipts, W-2s, and 1099s, you may wonder what income and expenses you have to report, what you can deduct, and what may be different this year. You are not alone. The biggest tax reform legislation in more than 30 years became effective on…read more

[IMAGE] Think Twice Before Placing Bets on the Playoff Picture

Think Twice Before Placing Bets on the Playoff Picture

It’s Week 16 of the NFL 2018 Regular Season, and we’re coming down to the wire. The last two weeks of games were filled with upsets that shook the playoff picture, including the one that still has South Florida abuzz – the Miracle in Miami. Favored by 9 points, the New England Patriots kicked a…read more

[IMAGE] Responsible Gambling During the Holidays: Why Lottery Tickets Make Dangerous Gifts for Minors

Responsible Gambling During the Holidays: Why Lottery Tickets Make Dangerous Gifts for Minors

The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) joins the National Council on Problem Gambling and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University in raising awareness regarding the risks of underage lottery play during the holiday season. Today, the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling is raising awareness about responsible gambling…read more

Happy Thanksgiving words with pumpkins and leaves over dark wooden background

Don’t Count On A “Lucky Break”

The smell of turkey and football is in the air – it’s starting to look a lot like thanksgiving! In this thanksgiving themed blog post, we’re sharing the history behind the “wish bone” and insight as to why you might want to pass when it comes to betting on rivalry weekend. Come On, Give Me…read more

Blurred Lines: Gaming vs. Gambling Addiction

Addiction to gaming is described in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which is used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders. The DSM-5 notes that gaming must cause “significant impairment or distress” in several aspects of a person’s life including, but not limited to: an uncontrollable desire…read more

Military mom with daughters

Combatting Gambling Addiction: Everyone’s Mission

As we enter Veterans Day weekend, let us begin to reflect and honor the sacrifices made by U.S military personnel and their loved ones to defend our freedom and democracy. Veterans: From all of us here at the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling – Thank you for your service.   To be a veteran in…read more

[IMAGE] How Sports Betting Pools Risk More Than Money

How Sports Betting Pools Risk More Than Money

Can you believe that the football season is already almost half over? Is it going the way you expected? What has been the biggest surprise so far? It’s not easy to predict the winner of all 256 regular-season NFL games – let alone the spirited matchups in the arguably more volatile college football season. It’s…read more

Hope with purple ribbon for "o"

Speak Out Against Domestic Violence!

Defining Domestic Violence: Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.1 Domestic violence does not discriminate and can affect anyone regardless of gender, age, nationality, religion, or social status. In the…read more

[IMAGE] The State of Sports Betting: Is It Legal in Florida?

These are Not the Only Players in the Game

Football is here in full force! The preseason rankings are starting to show their true colors, and the top teams in both pro and college leagues are being defined. You can still count on plenty of upsets throughout the remainder of the season, but even the pundits can’t predict when or how they will happen….read more

World Suicide Prevention Day: #BeThe1To Make a Difference

Suicide: A Growing Health Concern Suicide is a public health issue that does not discriminate against age or ethnicity and can impact anyone regardless of their social or economic status. In Florida, it is believed that one person dies by suicide every three hours. Unfortunately, that number is rising.1 While there is no single cause…read more

Super Mario™ Slot Machine Toy is Inappropriate in McDonald’s® Happy Meals®

The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) joins the National Council on Problem Gambling by calling upon Nintendo® of America and McDonald’s® to stop marketing their Slot Machine Super Mario™ toy to children in McDonald’s® Happy Meals®. Today, Jennifer Kruse, Executive Director of the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG), joined the National Council on…read more

If You Gamble, Play It Safe.

Have you gambled in the last twelve months? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. In fact, the majority of Floridians gambled within the last year—and that’s okay, as long as you do so responsibly! Gambling is a legal activity in state of Florida for adults 18 years and older. In addition to operating the…read more

Suffering in Silence: Suicide and Problem Gambling

With high profile deaths such as Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, the issue of suicide and the stigma surrounding mental health have remained the center of many conversations throughout the United States and abroad. A recent report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that from 1999-2016, suicide rates have steadily increased…read more

World Cup Betting Pools are Not Safe for Everyone

You have probably heard a lot about this year’s World Cup – officially the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ – since it started about a month ago. Men’s soccer teams representing 32 different countries qualified for the tournament over a three-year period from a total spread of 211 teams. Will you watch the final this…read more

HAGS With These Summer Safety Tips

The yearbooks have been signed, school’s out, and kids all across the state are as excited as ever to dive head first into summer vacation. As internet access and video games are just a quick reach away, it is important to establish responsible gaming practices at a young age. According to data collected from our…read more

Why We Must Discuss Gambling Disorder for Men’s Health Month

Did you wear blue yesterday? In 1994, President Clinton proclaimed “Blue Monday” as the kickoff event for Men’s Health Week. Each year since, the nation observes Men’s Health Week from Blue Monday to Father’s Day to bring focus on the health issues affecting men. In tandem, the entire month of June has been dubbed Men’s…read more

Support #StigmaFree for Mental Health Awareness Month

Millions of Americans experience life through the lens of mental illness, and millions more – their family members, friends, and other personal connections – are affected. Living with mental illness is hard enough. Stigma makes it even harder by shaming those who need treatment into fear and silence. Did you know that one in five…read more

National Pet Week®: Benefits of Pet Ownership

Whether you are a pet owner or not, it’s tough to deny the joy that companion animals bring to their owners. In fact, the majority of pet owners consider their animals part of the family, many even purchase birthday or holiday gifts for them. While the average house pet decidedly lives a fairly luxurious life,…read more

Problem Gambling and Minority Mental Health Month

Problem Gambling and Minority Mental Health Month The U.S Department of Health and Human Services is raising awareness of Minority Mental Health Month to end racial health disparities throughout the month of April. The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) joins the conversation through a look at how minority populations are affected by problem gambling…read more