[IMG] Making the Rose Bowl Your New Year’s Day Tradition

Making the Rose Bowl Your New Year’s Day Tradition

There are countless New Year’s traditions from champagne toasts to watching the ball drop. For many Americans, New Year’s Day means settling down on the couch with friends and family to enjoy the Rose Bowl. This New Year’s tradition is increasing in popularity each year, with the 2019 game drawing in a record audience of more…read more

[IMAGE] Lottery Tickets as Holiday Gifts for Minors? Know the Risks!

Lottery Tickets as Holiday Gifts for Minors? Know the Risks!

Today, the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) joined forces with the National Council on Problem Gambling and the International Center for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University, to urge parents and others to take the time to select meaningful holiday gifts and stocking stuffers for kids, versus buying unsuitable, quick-fix gifts,…read more

[IMAGE] Food for Thought on #GivingTuesday

Food for Thought on #GivingTuesday

The holiday season is upon us. What better way to commemorate the closing of a decade, and herald in the new, than to seriously take a look at what it means to give during the “Season of Giving?” With the commercialization of the upcoming worldwide celebrations, it can be easy to assume that the spirit of generosity…read more

[IMAGE] Turkey, Stuffing, and Hopefully Not Sports Betting: Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey, Stuffing, and Football: Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a time for tradition, with American families gathering each year to enjoy a festive feast that’s full of its own traditions. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, candied yams, cranberry sauce, and more fill the table, but perhaps more important is how it all got there. Everyone in the family has a role. Grandma makes her…read more

[IMAGE] An Important Cause for National Veterans and Military Families Month

An Important Cause for National Veterans & Military Families Month

On October 31, 2019, President Trump signed a proclamation designating November 2019 as National Veterans and Military Families Month.[1] According to the most recent Census statistics, there are over 18 million veterans in the United States.[2] Between relatives, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and others, most of us know at least one person who has served. The…read more

[IMAGE] The Scariest Thing About Sports Betting

The Scariest Thing About Sports Betting

It’s that time of year again: the weather’s finally starting to cool down in Florida (or is it?), pumpkin spice lattes are in season, and the trick-or-treating is about to begin. Whether or not you’ll be putting on a costume or watching horror movies, Halloween is a serious event for many Floridians. From converted garage…read more

[IMAGE] It’s Time to Speak Up: National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

It’s Time to Speak Up: National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic Violence is a highly pervasive issue. Did you know that in the United States, almost 20 people are physically abused by an intimate partner each minute? Over the course of a year, that adds up to more than 10 million women and men who suffer in their own homes.[1] In Florida, 34.2% of women…read more

[IMAGE] If There is Life, There is Hope

If There is Life, There is Hope

According to the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling’s 2018-2019 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine report, 23% of problem gamblers and loved ones reported having suicidal ideations. That’s more than one out of every five help callers. September has been recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month, and gambling addiction is a risk factor. Gambling addiction does not discriminate and…read more

[IMAGE] Don’t Fumble the Football Season on Sports Betting

Don’t Fumble the Football Season on Sports Betting

If you are a football fan, you have been waiting for the National Football League season to start since the big game in February. Maybe you’ve even followed all of the training reports and draft news along the way! Many already have ideas of what team will be the top dog. Will New England return…read more

[IMAGE] What is Recovery Path?

What is Recovery Path?

888-ADMIT-IT Problem Gambling HelpLine Thousands of people in Florida currently experience the negative effects of a gambling disorder. The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) operates a 24-Hour Confidential & Multilingual HelpLine, 1-888-ADMIT-IT, and offers a number of problem gambling specific programs, services, and referral resources to assist individuals with their specific needs based upon…read more

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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