Sports Betting from the Front Line: Treating Sports Betting in Clinical Practice

This training counts toward the MA PGS Certificate

This training will be offered by M-TAC’s colleagues at The Better Institute.  In this webinar, we’ll examine the relationship between sports betting, athletes, and problem gambling. We’ll explore recent research findings to understand the key risk factors associated with athletes and individuals with athletic backgrounds. Additionally, we’ll discuss practical strategies for clinicians working with gambling clients, including utilizing athletes’ past experiences to develop effective treatment plans. By leveraging their strengths and resilience, we aim to provide support for their journey towards recovery.

Cost: Free

Location: Virtual

Number of CE(s): 2

Instructional Level: Introductory

Instructor Bio: 

Learning Objectives:

1. Review current research on sports betting, athletes, and problem gambling.
2. Understand the risk factors for athletes and problem gambling.
3. Learn how to utilize past athletic experiences to develop effective gambling treatment plans.
4. Apply evidence-informed clinical interventions with most sports bettors during therapy.

2  CE credits for the following program are available through this course:

Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors

• MA Technical Assistance Center for Problem Gambling Treatment is authorized by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to sponsor, conduct or approve continuing education programs for alcohol and drug counselors/assistants (LADCs).

Speaker Bios: 

Jody Bechtold, LCSW, ICGC-II, BACC, IGDC, CGT is a highly regarded gambling addiction expert working extensively across the globe with individuals, organizations, and associations. She is the CEO of The Better Institute, a group practice located in Pittsburgh, PA. She is the co-author of The Gambling Disorder Treatment Handbook: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals (2021) and 2 chapters in the Social Workers Desk Reference v 4 on Gambling and Gaming Disorders, published in 2022. She serves as an Advisor to several startup and non-profits organizations including GamFin, Birches Health, and Seagulls Flock Organization in the Philippines. She also serves as an Emeritus board member for the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB). Jody holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work and has several certifications with the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (ICGC-II, IGDC, BACC, CGT).

Rob Bumbaco LCSW, CMC is a licensed clinical social worker and certified mental coach. Rob earned his master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh and his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Niagara University. Rob is the COO of The Better Institute, a private practice located in Pittsburgh, PA. In addition to his clinical background, Rob is a former Division 1 athlete.  Rob is the founder of Back in the Game. Back in the Game is a program within The Better Institute designed to support athletes in the following areas: sports performance, recovery from injury, at-risk behaviors, and /mental health. He hosts the weekly podcast Back in the Game: A Sports and Mindset Podcast.