EPIC Global Solutions has entered a partnership with US-based mental health support platform Onrise to enhance problem gambling prevention in professional sports.
Aimed at both athletes and coaches at the professional and collegiate level, the collaboration will address relevant issues stemming from problematic behaviour across sports wagering and other forms of gambling.
EPIC will leverage its expertise in combating gambling addiction to train more than 250 peer support experts at Onrise, equipping them with the tools to offer face-to-face and digital problem gambling education to raise awareness around the importance of healthy relationships with gambling.
These services will be in addition to the already extensive lineup of support offered by Onrise, which includes mentorship by retired and certified athletes, licensed therapists, psychiatric care and sports performance, among others – delivered through tailored one-on-one sessions.
Kim Quigley, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Onrise, commented: “Student-athletes live in a time where gambling and sport intertwine in so many ways, with significant wagering interest in collegiate sport.
“This partnership with EPIC Global Solutions is about getting in early, before a bet becomes a burden they carry in silence. By pairing world-class gambling education with Onrise’s always-on, athlete-specific mental health care, we can spot risk sooner, intervene faster, and protect their health, future, and the team communities depending on them.”
Both organisations come together during an important time on the calendar, with March marking the beginning of the Problem Gambling Awareness Month in the US – shining light on how gambling harms can be identified and prevented.
Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Global Solutions, added: “This strategic partnership has arisen because we both felt there was a real alignment of shared values between the two organizations. Gambling and sports wagering is growing fast in the US, not least in the sports and college sectors where we both operate.
“The two organisations are on a growth curve and will be stronger together for our clients and beneficiaries. We are both people centered and athlete focused, dedicated to doing good for mental health, wellbeing and performance.”