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Problem gamblers have a knack for finding a bet whether it’s legal or not.
Kindbridge Behavioral Health, a mental health provider focused on problem gamblers, has announced a partnership with monitoring firm US Integrity to provide mental health services for at-risk bettors.
Kindgridge CEO Daniel Umfleet said in a US Integrity news release:
“Aligning with US Integrity is a pivotal move for Kindbridge. Together, we aim to seamlessly integrate integrity and accessibility to mental health services, setting a new standard in scale and support.
Our specialized service is designed to address mental health issues commonly faced by collegiate and professional athletes, including problems related to gambling.”
Partnership will identify at-risk gamblers and offer help
Kindbridge will link up its counseling services with US Integrity’s ProhiBet platform. Kindbridge also offers its services on BetMGM.
ProhiBet blocks athletes, coaches, and staff from making prohibited bets. In many cases, professional sports leagues have rules about who in the league can bet and where they can make those bets.
For example, the NFL doesn’t allow its players to place bets on NFL games. And players and employees cannot place bets on non-NFL sports while in an NFL facility.
As we’ve seen over the past two years, players who violate those rules are subject to suspensions.
ProhiBet helps avert suspensions and penalties by blocking players and staff from making illegal bets. Leagues provide ProhiBet with player and staff data (names, birthdays, and Social Security numbers) along with which bets aren’t allowed. ProhiBet then uses that data to block anyone trying to place a bet they aren’t allowed to place.
Kindbridge is hoping to step in after ProhiBet blocks a bettor. The idea is that someone trying to place an illegal bet could be a problem gambler. And rather than just blocking their behavior, US Integrity and Kindbridge are hoping they change that behavior through Kindbridge services.
ProhiBet will leverage the data it has to analyze an individual’s betting habits. And, if there are red flags in a person’s habits, it will offer Kindbridge’s mental health services.
“This partnership truly completes the evolution of a comprehensive athlete wrap-around service for teams and leagues,” US Integrity CEO Matthew Holt said.
“The amalgamation of betting monitoring services, education, and streamlined access to care for athletes represents a monumental stride toward ensuring the enduring integrity of sports nationwide.”
