The Dean of Students Office at The University of New Mexico has announced a groundbreaking $60,000 donation from the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) to launch the nation’s first pilot program focused on online gaming addiction prevention among college students.
Demand for this type of prevention program has grown significantly with the increase in popularity of online gaming and gambling platforms for college students, especially among men ages 18-35.
According to national research conducted by the National Council on Problem Gambling, 6% of U.S. college students struggle with serious gambling issues, while another 10% are at risk of developing them. The same research indicates that associated risks include financial hardship, decreased academic performance and mental health issues.
This partnership aligns UNM with a national leader in responsible online gaming and could serve as a prevention model for campuses across the country by:
- Publishing findings and toolkits,
- Hosting educational webinars or training sessions, and
- Developing an open-access curriculum informed by the experiences of diverse student populations.
The project team will be led by Associate Dean of Student Well-being, Greg Golden, from the Dean of Students’ Office. The Division of Student Affairs and Associate Professor Joshua Grubbs, one of the country’s leading researchers on sports betting and binge drinking struggles, will advise the program and staff. The team’s approach will integrate research, education, and prevention strategies within a university setting.
The team has hired a Graduate Assistant, Alexander Connolly, to help lead the project’s initiatives. Connolly is a Ph.D. student in the clinical psychology program at UNM. His research focuses on responsible gambling, with a particular emphasis on online and sports gambling behaviors. His work examines how knowledge, confidence and risk factors influence responsible play. He hopes to inform education and prevention efforts within the university and community settings.
Connolly will begin by forming partnerships with UNM faculty to develop pre- and post-survey tools to evaluate the program’s impact. He will then move into conducting outreach and scheduling workshops with high-risk student populations, such as athletes, fraternity members, veterans and cultural student centers.
These efforts will ultimately lead to the launch of prevention education workshops in the fall. Topics will cover responsible gaming strategies, financial literacy and decision-making skills.
“This pilot marks a critical step in protecting student well-being by addressing a growing and often overlooked issue on college campuses,” said Eric Scott, UNM vice president for student affairs. “By educating students about responsible online gaming and providing the tools to make informed choices, we’re not just preventing addiction – we’re creating the conditions for our community to thrive.”
The UNM Dean of Students office has been committed to supporting UNM students holistically through the Lobo Well-Being program. The program is based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration’s eight key areas, which include financial, emotional, social, physical, intellectual/professional and environmental wellness. Lobo Well-Being will now incorporate responsible online gaming.
To support UNM students, visit the Lobo Well-Being’s giving webpage.
Email the Dean of Students Office at doso@unm.edu for more information about the pilot program.
