Whether you're a teen or an adult, betting seems to be everywhere. But have you ever wondered if it’s actually addictive? The short answer is yes, betting is very addictive — especially if your mind is still developing. Please reshare this video and send to any children and teens you know to raise awareness of #YouthGambling and prevent #YouthGamblingHarms from impacting more young individuals. Learn more about youth gambling and how to prevent it: ChangeTheGameohio.org #ChangeTheGameOhio

October is Positive Attitude Month! According to research from Johns Hopkins, having positive thoughts and attitudes in daily life can help lessen the damage stress has on the body and mind, foster stronger immune systems, decrease risk of serious health diseases and even improve outcomes and life satisfaction across a spectrum of conditions. Train your mind to think positively by simply smiling more, practicing reframing, and building resiliency. 🙂Learn more about the power of positive thinking: hopkinsmedicine.org/health/w… #PositiveAttitudeMonth #PauseBeforeYouPlay

A recent article from @NPR sheds light on how more kids each day are gambling, and how most parents miss the signs. Kim Freudenberg, a longtime teacher in San Francisco, knew to warn her sons about activities that could harm them (drinking, drugs, unsafe driving, etc.) but didn’t realize that gambling was one of those things. After her eldest son dropped out of college at 19 and started stealing money to pay for his debts, she discovered he had been gambling since age 11. Learn more about youth gambling by reading the article, downloading the guide, or hear more parent stories from Parents Standing Together. Get the parents' guide: ChangeTheGameOhio.org/for-pa… Read the article: npr.org/2026/04/05/nx-s1-576… Explore Parents Standing Together: parentsstandingtogether.org #PreventYouthGambling #ChangeTheGameOhio

Today is the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, a month where we celebrate and honor the Hispanic and Latino history and culture that have shaped important advocacy work, vibrant art, popular and traditional foods, and much more. Pause Before You Play would like to recognize our Hispanic and Latino communities and raise awareness of our Spanish-speaking low-risk gambling resources. Check out the toolkit: PauseBeforeYouPlay.org/toolk… #HispanicHeritageMonth #PauseBeforeYouPlay

Is your child’s brain getting enough exercise? If you’re not sure, today is National Train Your Brain Day which reminds us that just like our bodies, our brains need to be challenged to stay in good health and fight chronic conditions. Consider having the family break from daily routines, unplug from the screens, and challenge their cognitive abilities through puzzles, instruments, language learning, reading, and other activities that pique everyone's interest! Let us know your family's favorite brain workout in the comments below!🏋️ 🧠More ways to improve children’s brain health: developingchild.harvard.edu/… #TrainYourBrain #ChangeTheGameOhio

Sports betting has spread on college campuses, and recent research sheds light on how students’ mental health is impacted. Nicholas McAfee from @OleMiss has growing concerns for students after leading research that shows #StudentGambling often occurs alongside depression, anxiety, and substance use. #StudentAthletes also show signs of worsening mental health due to increased betting-related harassment. Read the blog to learn more about this issue: [LINK] #PauseBeforeYouPlay #MoreThanABet #MentalHealth

Today is World Mental Health Day, and this year, the focus is on elevating the voices of people with lived experience of mental health conditions to shape policies and services. Gambling disorders are one of those very impactful conditions that millions experience across the world. Please watch the stories of Steve, Marilyn, Josh, and Cindy, who have experienced a gambling disorder and how they began their recovery journey. Hear the stories: PauseBeforeYouPlay.org/get-h… #PauseBeforeYouPlay #MentalHealthIsHealth #WorldMentalHealthDay

Today is World Financial Planning Day. With people from across the globe focusing on achieving their financial goals, Pause Before You Play is joining in to remind everyone of a great resource you can use at no cost through Time Out Ohio. If betting or gambling has negatively impacted your financial situation, consider speaking to Gamfin’s confidential financial counselors and receiving professional personal finance support. Learn more and book a session with GamFin now at the link. Book a session: timeoutohio.com/gamfin/ #PauseBeforeYouPlay #Gamfin #WorldFinancialPlanningDay

It’s National Child Health Day! Among the many health tips families may be hearing today, Change the Game Ohio would like to use this day to remind parents the risks of #YouthGambling and how it could impact your child’s mental and physical well-being. Explore the website and blog to learn more about the issue, warning signs, and resources to help you prevent #YouthGamblingHarms. 🖱️Explore the website: ChangeTheGameOhio.org 👀Read the blog: PauseBeforeYouPlay.org/2026/… #ChangeTheGameOhio #PreventYouthGambling #NationalChildHealthDay

If you haven’t heard already, today is #NationalPlayOutsideDay and we’re inviting families to join in on the fun! October weekends are full of outdoor activities like fall festivals, pumpkin patches, apple picking, farmers markets, hiking trails, and much more that are great for kids. Find more ideas by checking out the blog: PauseBeforeYouPlay.org/2021/… #PlayOutsideDay #ChangeTheGameOhio

Considering a break from #betting or #gambling? Check out Time Out Ohio! This program helps Ohioans take a break through voluntary bans from Ohio’s casinos, racinos, and sports gaming for a duration of your choice. Or, you can check out @gambanapp , GamFin, and @recovermeapp1 for no-cost gambling management resources. Tap the link to learn more: TimeOutOhio.com #PauseBeforeYouPlay #TimeOutOhio #ResponsibleGambling

As a parent, it’s one thing to hear from experts and the news about the harms of youth gambling. It’s another to hear about youth gambling from parents who’ve experienced the harms firsthand. This week's blog explores the unique situation that online gambling, #SportsBetting, #PredictionMarkets, and other forms of gambling are imposing on families from the perspectives of parents who have joined Parents Standing Together and are helping create a safe space for more parents to talk, learn, and ask questions to help them prevent youth gambling among their children. Read the blog to learn more: pausebeforeyouplay.org/2026/… #ChangeTheGameOhio #PreventYouthGambling #ParentsStandingTogether

Sports betting is meant to be a form of recreational entertainment. If it starts to impose challenges in your life, consider using Time Out Ohio. This state program makes it easy to place a self-imposed ban from participating sports betting platforms, casinos, and racinos. It integrates easily with @GambanApp and GamFin and helps you set and stick to your limits. Enroll now at no cost through the link: TimeOutOhio.com #TimeOutOhio #ResponsibleBetting #Gamban #GamFin

We see what happens to student athletes when they’re on the field, but what’s going on behind the scenes? They have schoolwork waiting to be finished, friends and family wanting to connect, and now with #SportsBetting being so popular for college sports — many student athletes face harassment and threats from angry sports bettors, both in-person and online. Learn more about #StudentAthleteHarassment and how you can help #ProtectStudentAthletes through @MoreThanABet: MoreThanABet.org

Youth gambling is rising. Understand what behaviors to look out for and gauge your child’s risk level for gambling-related harms by taking the 1-minute quiz: ChangeTheGameOhio.org/quiz #HelpPreventYouthGambling #ChangeTheGameOhio #TakeTheQuiz

Experts are seeing a rise in gambling disorders for Ohioans over the age of 65. Executive director of the @PNGOhio, Derek Longmeier, finds that cognitive issues, health conditions, and bereavement are a few reasons why older adults are engaging more — even after being impacted by negative consequences, like financial strain. Visit the Pause Before You Play website for resources to help those impacted and learn more about how older adults are impacted in the article: wosu.org/2026-06-25/online-g… 🔗Get help: PauseBeforeYouPlay.org/get-h… #PauseBeforeYouPlay

Online gaming is available to almost anyone at any time. Though it can be a fun way to pass time, there are also risks involved. #ResponsibleGamingEducationMonth aims to spread awareness of how people can engage in gaming while lowering their risk for anxiety, depression, stress, and other related symptoms of gaming. For more information, explore the online gaming toolkit: PauseBeforeYouPlay.org/toolk… #ResponsibleGaming #PauseBeforeYouPlay

World Gratitude Day began as a way to give people the opportunity to offer personal gratitude, but also to remember gratitude is an essential emotion that should be universally shared. However you feel comfortable displaying your appreciation, use this day to let others know that they matter to you. #WorldGratitudeDay #PauseBeforeYouPlay #MentalHealthMatters

As sports betting becomes more common among emerging adults (ages 21 to 24), knowing how to stay in control is key to lowering risk of gambling-related harms. Share this video to any emerging adult you know so they can see how setting limits on sports betting can benefit them. Read more about emerging adults: PauseBeforeYouPlay.org/2025/… #PauseBeforeYouPlay #EmergingAdults #SetLimits #SportsBetting

In recent news, Fox11 covers the rise of youth gambling. UCLA Gambling Studies program co-director, Dr. Timothy Fong, explains children as young as 14 are being treated for gambling disorders. To help families and parents of children protect against #YouthGamblingHarms, Dr. Fong advises parents to get involved — understand what activities your child is engaging with and how that could have impacts on their physical and mental health, and educate them on the importance of staying away from these adult activities. Learn more about the issue of #YouthGambling by visiting the article: foxla.com/video/fmc-s547qpnw… #ChangeTheGameOhio