Pennsylvania approves funding for digital gambling support platform
The Pennsylvania General Assembly has approved funding for a digital-first support platform by the name of Almond Digital Health, which is reportedly set to be the first state-funded digital platform for gambling support in the United States.
How the platform works
The utility of Almond Digital Health is for Pennsylvania to operate a safer gaming platform intended to inform people about responsible gambling while also offering assistance to those who may have been harmed by gambling.
Almond Digital Health’s primary purpose will be to make education and information about problem gambling and betting risks more easily accessible. It is also set to provide on-demand self-help tools and assist users in getting support or further guidance, including assisting in coordinating self-exclusion from gambling.
The platform is intended to form part of and ultimately reinforce the state’s gambling support infrastructure. Its website states that it is a mobile app that provides the space, tools, and information to keep gambling habits under control.
Furthermore, it describes itself as “the gambling equivalent of apps that help people optimise their nutrition”.
Support from the state legislature
Pennsylvania has experienced steady growth in its iGaming industry, and Pennsylvania regulators have been pushing responsible gaming campaigns centred around raising awareness about risks associated with problem gambling.
Democratic Pennsylvania House Representative Joe McAndrew, who supported the initiative, said that the platform will expand access to support services and strengthen the state’s ability to reach people in order to promote responsible gambling.
He added that the grant and platform will help to ensure that anyone struggling with problem gambling is able to get access to the tools and support that they may need.
Likewise, Democratic Representative Jim Prokopiak said that the state’s decision to provide funding for the platform reflects a practical approach and remarked that it will help individuals struggling with addiction or who are at risk of developing one.
The push for safer gambling in Pennsylvania
This development seems to have come at a time in tandem with another initiative based around safer gambling in Pennsylvania.
In March, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board launched its ‘What’s Really At Stake‘ campaign, which is focused on raising awareness around young people engaging in gambling activities.
This campaign in itself coincided with Pennsylvania’s Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and Department of Education announcing earlier in March the availability of free online gambling resources for educators and families.
Another Democratic Pennsylvania State Representative, Bex Waxman, also recently proposed a bill known as the ‘Skill Game Consumer Protection Act’. This bill, among other things, would introduce daily loss caps and expand Pennsylvania’s self-exclusion program.
Considering that Almond Digital Health is set to be the first state-backed platform of its kind, it could be the case that this may set a precedent for other states in the future to follow suit, especially if iGaming and the wider gambling sector continue to experience growth across the United States.
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