Essential Elements for an Effective Problem Gambling Framework (EPGF) Toolkit
Project Objectives
- Equip state problem gambling leaders with a practical decision support tool by translating complex public health frameworks into actionable, domain-specific assessments that reflect the realities of building infrastructure in a rapidly evolving gambling landscape.
- Advance data-driven decision-making at the state level by building leaders' capacity to collect, disaggregate, and apply surveillance and program data to guide planning, resource allocation, and continuous quality improvement.
- Support cross-sector collaboration as a foundation for sustainable problem gambling infrastructure by engaging diverse stakeholders, from regulatory bodies and gambling industry representatives to academic institutions and community coalitions, in a shared planning process.
- Strengthen workforce capacity across the full continuum of care by identifying gaps in training, credentialing, and professional development infrastructure for prevention specialists, clinical treatment providers, and peer recovery support workers.
- Center equity throughout a comprehensive problem gambling framework by ensuring that the populations most disproportionately harmed by gambling (including communities of color, low-income groups, and youth) are embedded in every domain of assessment and planning.
- Bridge the gap between policy intent and real-world implementation by helping state leaders evaluate not just whether policies and systems exist, but whether they are actively enforced, equitably resourced, and producing meaningful outcomes.
Project Description
In partnership with Education Development Center (EDC), Omni co-developed the Essential Elements for an Effective Problem Gambling Framework (EPGF) Toolkit, a free strategic assessment and decision support tool designed to help state problem gambling leaders build and strengthen the infrastructure needed to deliver prevention, treatment, and recovery services to address gambling related harms. The project drew on Omni and EDC’s shared background in the public and behavioral health fields and expertise in facilitating needs assessment, strategic planning, and evaluation activities. Together, the two organizations translated that accumulated knowledge into a practical, field-ready resource grounded in evidence and the experiences of leaders in the field.
The resulting toolkit organizes the essential elements of an effective state-level problem gambling system into five interconnected domains: Workforce, Equity, Systems & Infrastructure, Policy & Regulation, and Research, Data & Evaluation. For each domain, the tool provides a structured assessment scale, scored items, and tiered interpretive guidance with tailored recommendations to give leaders a clear picture of where their state currently stands and what targeted investments would move the needle. The tool reflects Omni and EDC's shared conviction that a public health response to problem gambling must actively address the disparities that drive harm and that a coordinated, multi-system approach is critical in creating a responsive, sustainable infrastructure for addressing gambling related harms.
Our goal is to give problem gambling leaders something honest and actionable: a tool that meets them where they are and shows them a clear path forward.
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