[IMAGE] Don’t Make This Common March Madness® Bracket Mistake

Don’t Make This Common March Madness® Bracket Mistake

Did you watch the 2019 March Madness® Selection Show last night? Judging by the vibrant emotions on display and unrelenting energy, you would almost think it was the championship game itself. “Selection Sunday” is an annual TV tradition that builds excitement for the coming showdown between the top men’s college basketball teams in the country….read more

It’s Problem Gambling Awareness Month: Here’s How You Can Become Involved

The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) invites you to join with our partners across the Sunshine State in promoting March 2019 as Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) within your community and among the population you serve. Your assistance will help to raise awareness about problem gambling and available resources through the FCCG’s 24-Hour Confidential and Multilingual…read more

Backetball hoop and ball

Don’t Go Mad This March

Have you ever wondered why Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) takes place in March? Originally a week-long event, PGAM was established by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) to raise awareness about gambling addiction during the NCAA March Madness tournament. The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) is one of more than 30 State…read more

[IMAGE] A Breakup Letter to Gambling Addiction

A Breakup Letter to Gambling Addiction

To My Gambling Problem, This isn’t easy for me, but it’s time for me to be honest: It’s over. For years, I had been fooling myself by thinking things between us would change. With you, it was always tomorrow, next week, next month, next year – but you could never let me just be me….read more

[IMAGE] Super Bowl LIII Expected to Set Betting Record

This Year’s Big Game Expected to Set Betting Record

After some of the closest NFL Conference Championship games to date – with both going into overtime – the stage is set for the big game: the New England Patriots will take on the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday in Atlanta. The biggest football game of the year draws hundreds of millions of viewers and…read more

[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

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

Problem Gambling in Pop Culture: The Gambler (1974)

Problem Gambling in Pop Culture: Karel Reisz’s The Gambler (1974) Karel Reiz’s The Gambler (1974) is a poetic, gritty drama that provides a valuable and realistic representation of the perils faced by the millions of Americans effected by problem gambling. The film follows Axel Freed (James Caan) as he desperately exhausts every possible avenue to…read more

A Nationwide Event Takes Hold in Florida: Money Smart Week

Money Smart Week is a nationwide event about something that’s important to everyone: personal finance. From learning how to count money as a child to improving your credit score to developing the best retirement strategy, the subject touches people at all stages of life. For most of us, it’s also an area where we can…read more

How Gambling Can Rewire Your Brain

When you hear the word “addiction,” what comes to mind? The spotlight has been shined on the dangers of alcohol and drug addictions, and the signs and symptoms of these are relatively easy to spot. But the psychological mechanisms of addiction do not require a substance. An addiction is a brain disorder where an individual…read more

Why Problem Gambling Awareness Month is a Big Deal

Problem Gambling Awareness Month is a big deal here at the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling. We are joined by organizations from around the country to raise awareness on the issue of problem gambling in addition to prevention, treatment and recovery services throughout the month of March. So what is problem gambling? Your first thought…read more

Think You Know March Madness? Get to Know PGAM.

March marks the beginning of Problem Gambling Awareness Month. Organizations from around the country partake in this grassroots campaign to help raise awareness concerning the issue of problem gambling. March also marks the beginning of March Madness, the NCAA’s largest sporting tournament when basketball teams from around the country compete for a national championship. Betting…read more