Enrolled March 21, 2025 Passed IN Senate March 20, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Resolution No. 26Introduced by Senator Padilla(Coauthors: Senators Archuleta, Ashby, Blakespear, Cervantes, Dahle, Hurtado, Jones, Ochoa Bogh, Richardson, Rubio, Smallwood-Cuevas, Valladares, Wahab, and Weber Pierson)February 25, 2025 Relative to Problem Gambling Awareness Month.LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSR 26, Padilla. Digest KeyBill TextWHEREAS, The month of March 2025 is recognized as National Problem Gambling Awareness Month by the National Council on Problem Gambling, which was established in 1972, and its 35 state affiliates, including the California Council on Problem Gambling, established in 1986; andWHEREAS, Gambling disorder is not only an addiction, but also a public health issue in which some problem gamblers experience both physical and mental health conditions. During the 20212022 fiscal year, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and elevated alcohol and tobacco use were the most common cooccurring physical health problems among clients served in the California state-funded gambling treatment program, while mental health disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety were the most commonly reported cooccurring mental health conditions; andWHEREAS, Gambling disorder is a treatable disease, and treatment is effective in minimizing the harm to individuals, families, and communities. The Office of Problem Gambling (OPG) and the UCLA Gambling Studies Program currently operate the California Gambling Education and Treatment Services (CalGETS) program that, since 2009, has provided treatment services to almost 21,000 problem gamblers and others affected by a gambling disorder. CalGETS offers a diverse array of services for both the gambler and people who have been affected by their gambling, including the Problem Gambling Helpline, which is available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese, text and online chat support programs available in English and Spanish, group treatment, intensive outpatient and residential care, and self-help toolkits; andWHEREAS, The OPGs 20232027 Strategic Plan outlines four main goals: (1) providing problem gambling education, prevention, and treatment to Californias most impacted and high-risk communities, (2) gathering and maintaining accurate data on gambling disorder programs and prevalence to improve policy and ensure equitable resource distribution, (3) enhancing cultural inclusion and language services for diverse and underserved populations, and (4) increasing financial resources to adequately support priority goals and populations served by the OPG; andWHEREAS, Gambling disorder is classified by the American Psychiatric Association as an addiction with similarities to the causes and consequences of alcohol and drug dependence, and is also recognized as the concealed disease, because problem gamblers do not exhibit visible signs of the addiction; andWHEREAS, The OPGs ongoing public awareness campaign promotes harm reduction and self-empowerment for individuals who are seeking treatment for a gambling disorder; andWHEREAS, The Bureau of Gambling Control within the Department of Justice, the California Gambling Control Commission, the California State Lottery, California Friday Night Live Partnership, California Gaming Association, Sensis, the UCLA Gambling Studies Program, Pechanga Development Corporation, California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals, and the gambling disorder recovery community have joined with the OPG, within the State Department of Public Health, and the California Council on Problem Gambling to raise awareness and urge Californians to take the first step by seeking help for gambling-related problems; now, therefore, be itResolved by the Senate of the State of California, That March 2025 is hereby recognized as Problem Gambling Awareness Month and the agencies and organizations described in this resolution are commended for their concerted effort to raise public awareness of problem gambling; and be it furtherResolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for distribution.
Enrolled March 21, 2025 Passed IN Senate March 20, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Resolution No. 26Introduced by Senator Padilla(Coauthors: Senators Archuleta, Ashby, Blakespear, Cervantes, Dahle, Hurtado, Jones, Ochoa Bogh, Richardson, Rubio, Smallwood-Cuevas, Valladares, Wahab, and Weber Pierson)February 25, 2025 Relative to Problem Gambling Awareness Month.LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSR 26, Padilla. Digest Key
Enrolled March 21, 2025 Passed IN Senate March 20, 2025
Enrolled March 21, 2025
Passed IN Senate March 20, 2025
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Resolution
No. 26
Introduced by Senator Padilla(Coauthors: Senators Archuleta, Ashby, Blakespear, Cervantes, Dahle, Hurtado, Jones, Ochoa Bogh, Richardson, Rubio, Smallwood-Cuevas, Valladares, Wahab, and Weber Pierson)February 25, 2025
Introduced by Senator Padilla(Coauthors: Senators Archuleta, Ashby, Blakespear, Cervantes, Dahle, Hurtado, Jones, Ochoa Bogh, Richardson, Rubio, Smallwood-Cuevas, Valladares, Wahab, and Weber Pierson)
February 25, 2025
Relative to Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SR 26, Padilla.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
WHEREAS, The month of March 2025 is recognized as National Problem Gambling Awareness Month by the National Council on Problem Gambling, which was established in 1972, and its 35 state affiliates, including the California Council on Problem Gambling, established in 1986; and
WHEREAS, Gambling disorder is not only an addiction, but also a public health issue in which some problem gamblers experience both physical and mental health conditions. During the 20212022 fiscal year, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and elevated alcohol and tobacco use were the most common cooccurring physical health problems among clients served in the California state-funded gambling treatment program, while mental health disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety were the most commonly reported cooccurring mental health conditions; and
WHEREAS, Gambling disorder is a treatable disease, and treatment is effective in minimizing the harm to individuals, families, and communities. The Office of Problem Gambling (OPG) and the UCLA Gambling Studies Program currently operate the California Gambling Education and Treatment Services (CalGETS) program that, since 2009, has provided treatment services to almost 21,000 problem gamblers and others affected by a gambling disorder. CalGETS offers a diverse array of services for both the gambler and people who have been affected by their gambling, including the Problem Gambling Helpline, which is available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese, text and online chat support programs available in English and Spanish, group treatment, intensive outpatient and residential care, and self-help toolkits; and
WHEREAS, The OPGs 20232027 Strategic Plan outlines four main goals: (1) providing problem gambling education, prevention, and treatment to Californias most impacted and high-risk communities, (2) gathering and maintaining accurate data on gambling disorder programs and prevalence to improve policy and ensure equitable resource distribution, (3) enhancing cultural inclusion and language services for diverse and underserved populations, and (4) increasing financial resources to adequately support priority goals and populations served by the OPG; and
WHEREAS, Gambling disorder is classified by the American Psychiatric Association as an addiction with similarities to the causes and consequences of alcohol and drug dependence, and is also recognized as the concealed disease, because problem gamblers do not exhibit visible signs of the addiction; and
WHEREAS, The OPGs ongoing public awareness campaign promotes harm reduction and self-empowerment for individuals who are seeking treatment for a gambling disorder; and
WHEREAS, The Bureau of Gambling Control within the Department of Justice, the California Gambling Control Commission, the California State Lottery, California Friday Night Live Partnership, California Gaming Association, Sensis, the UCLA Gambling Studies Program, Pechanga Development Corporation, California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals, and the gambling disorder recovery community have joined with the OPG, within the State Department of Public Health, and the California Council on Problem Gambling to raise awareness and urge Californians to take the first step by seeking help for gambling-related problems; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That March 2025 is hereby recognized as Problem Gambling Awareness Month and the agencies and organizations described in this resolution are commended for their concerted effort to raise public awareness of problem gambling; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for distribution.