The American Gaming Association's Responsible Gaming Education Month is observed in September. This yearly event aims to better encourage responsible gaming among sports bettors and gamblers.
In Washington, D.C., the commercial and tribal gambling sectors are represented by the American gambling Association (AGA). More than 1,000 casinos, internet gambling operators, and their suppliers are part of the group, which represents legal gaming in 46 states.
Every year in September, the AGA and its members showcase their initiatives to encourage responsible gaming.
"Together, we can promote gaming literacy and consumer education, elevate employee training, and work with partners to advance our understanding of responsible gambling,” the AGA said.
Consumers in the United States are spending more money on gambling than in the past. In 2024, commercial gaming businesses brought in a record $72 billion. The National Indian Gaming Commission, the federal agency that oversees tribal casinos, reported that tribal gaming income in the 2024 fiscal year was $43.9 billion.
In the United States, gambling is more common and accepted than ever before. Millions of new consumers have been drawn to the legal gaming environment by the growth of legal sports betting, which was mostly limited to Nevada less than ten years ago.
The AGA and its members benefit from that, but the organization asserts that responsible gambling is essential to a long-term industry. The AGA will celebrate Responsible Gaming Education Month (RGEM) in September 2025, marking the 27th year of its efforts to promote responsible gaming.
Members of the AGA are "committed to building a sustainable market and ensuring bettors have a safe, fun experience," according to the organization.
The AGA is urging sportsbooks and casinos to publish an opinion piece in their local newspaper outlining their commitment on responsible gaming for the 2025 RGEM. Additional suggestions include posting the film on the business's social media pages and speaking with staff members who can discuss how they value responsible play at work.
Additionally, the AGA is requesting that casinos and online gaming sites advertise its responsible gaming initiatives, such as "Play Smart From the Start" and "Have A Game Plan."
It is believed that the number of Americans who suffer from gambling disorders is rising.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on single-game sports betting outside of Nevada in May 2018, there has been a "dramatic increase in sports betting and gambling addiction help-seeking," according to a February study from the University of California San Diego's Qualcomm Institute and School of Medicine.
"Sports betting has become deeply embedded in our culture,” said study researcher Matthew Allen. “From relentless advertising to social media feeds and in-game commentary, sportsbooks are now everywhere. What was once a taboo activity, confined to the fringes of society, has been completely normalized.”
According to the survey, between 2018 and 2024, calls and inquiries to self-help services and problem gambling hotlines increased by 23% nationwide.
Searches for gambling addiction increased significantly in Illinois (35%), Massachusetts (47%), Michigan (37%), New Jersey (34%), New York (37%), Ohio (67%), Pennsylvania (50%), and Virginia (30%) after sportsbooks opened in their states.
“The significantly higher search volumes observed in all eight states make it virtually impossible that our findings occurred by chance,” explained Atharva Yeola, another researcher. “Statistically speaking, the probability of these results happening randomly is less than one in 25.6 billion.”
