The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) is making an investment to combat gambling-related harm among the youth in one of the state’s largest cities.
The MGC has voted to award the City of Springfield a $275,000 grant to study the impact of gambling on the youth. The investment, which builds on Springfield’s Gambling Addiction Research Initiative, will provide the MGC with insights to address problem gambling following the launch of retail and online wagering in Massachusetts last year.
“Understanding the gambling-related harms experienced by young people will have a direct impact on strategies developed to prevent and mitigate those harms in the future,” said interim MGC chair Jordan Maynard. “Working directly with engaged young people in Springfield will help researchers and the commission fully understand the impacts of gambling on this population and lead to additional programs designed to mitigate potential harms.”
The grants are being awarded through the Community Mitigation Fund, which is backed by tax revenue from sports betting in the Bay State. According to recent data provided by the American Gaming Association, Massachusetts has collected more than $127 million in tax revenue from retail and online sports betting since their tiered launch in 2023.
Since 2015, the MGC has provided roughly $48 million in grants to state and local entities. It has also awarded youth gambling-related grants in Boston, Medford, and Melrose.
Other recent investments in Massachusetts
Last month, the MGC announced a plan to provide grants to law enforcement for preventing human trafficking in regions across the state that house casinos. The grants will provide adequate funding for a study of casino-related crimes in Massachusetts.
The grants, also awarded through the Community Mitigation Fund, will be given to the Attorney General’s Office and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. The Safe Exit Initiative, which will conduct the study, will receive a $160,000 grant.
