Ahead of March Madness, Know How to Get Problem Gambling Help in Florida

March Madness, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, captivates millions of sports fans annually with its high-stakes games and unpredictable outcomes. In 2025, the tournament begins on March 18 with the “First Four” play-in games, followed by the first round on March 20–21.

While the event sparks camaraderie and excitement, its overlap with Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) – a campaign led by the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) in the Sunshine State – highlights a growing public health concern.

As online sports betting expands in Florida, calls to the 888-ADMIT-IT Problem Gambling HelpLine have surged, underscoring the urgent need for education and intervention during this high-risk period and beyond.

888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine Report: Sports Betting Impacts

What problem gambling impacts has online sports betting legalization had in Florida? FCCG analyzed and compared data from contacts to its 888-ADMIT-IT Problem Gambling HelpLine BEFORE and AFTER legalization to find out. Learn everything we found in this video!

AT-A-GLANCE: Comparing Problem Gambling Impacts Before and After Sports Betting Legalization

• The FCCG’s 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine saw a 395% increase in total contacts and a 105% Increase in Florida help contacts to the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine since 2018.
• There was a 130% increase in Florida Help Seekers citing “Online/Mobile Gambling” as the primary gambling problem of the gambler during the 2024 calendar year, immediately following the legalization of sports betting in the Sunshine State.
• Amongst those engaged only in online sports wagering, the vast majority were male (97%), White (48%), and 30 years of age or younger (66%).
• Online sports bettors continue to be predominantly younger than gamblers of other types, with the largest share, both pre (30%) AND post-legalization (43%), falling in the 25 and under age range.
• Watch the video above to learn all of the impacts!

March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM)

Did you know that every March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM)? This year, the FCCG’s PGAM theme is Shine the Light on Problem Gambling: 888-ADMIT-IT Reveals the Route to Recovery. Learn more about the campaign here, and play our new game to challenge your knowledge!

March Madness dominates sports culture for three weeks, but the entire month holds broader significance. PGAM, a nationwide grassroots awareness event spearheaded in Florida by the FCCG, runs from March 1–31 to educate Floridians about the risks of gambling addiction and promote the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine. The timing is not by mistake!

How big is March Madness betting? According to the American Gaming Association (AGA), Americans were estimated to wager a total of $2.72 billion on March Madness in 2024, a figure expected to rise in 2025 as online platforms expand [1]. Look for AGA’s 2025 wagering estimates to be released in the coming days. The magnitude of betting activity on March Madness each year helped inspire the designation of March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month.

Like the Super Bowl, March Madness draws in even those who don’t otherwise bet on games during the regular season. The popularity of the tournament inspires office betting pools and bracket contests of all kinds, as millions around the country make efforts to be included in the action. Read on to learn why it’s important not to pressure anyone to make bets during March Madness.

In Florida, revealing the route to recovery from problem gambling – for gamblers and loved ones – starts with contacting the 24/7, Confidential, and Multilingual 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine. Even if you’re not directly impacted, we could use your help to spread the word that help and hope are available during PGAM!

All Eyes on March Madness

As March Madness 2025 tips off on Tuesday, March 18th following Selection Sunday, the FCCG’s Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) campaign takes on heightened urgency. With sports betting now legal in 38 states including Florida, the stakes have never been higher – both on and off the court. Here’s the schedule for the tournament this year [2]:

• Selection Sunday: 6 p.m. ET Sunday, March 16 on CBS
• First Four: March 18-19
• First round: March 20-21
• Second round: March 22-23
• Sweet 16: March 27-28
• Elite Eight: March 29-30
• Final Four: April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
• NCAA championship game: April 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas

Why No One Should Be Pressured to Make Bets

These days, it’s just about impossible to avoid being caught up in all of the talk about odds, predictions, betting lines, celebrity participation, and so on – let alone, avoid ads about betting on March Madness. Turn on a broadcast of one of the games or a pre-game show, and you’ll hear the announcers and commentators chime in on the betting lingo, too. For individuals suffering from problem gambling, the temptation and risk of relapse goes up significantly as a result.

Someone in recovery or at risk for problem gambling doesn’t have to wager hundreds or thousands to feed the addiction. Even small bets use the same mental mechanisms that led to the gambling problem. What’s at risk when organizing a betting pool or bracket contest?

For someone in your group who suffers from problem gambling, the offer of joining a betting pool or bracket contest risks much more than the wager itself. It could be the tipping point for someone at risk for disordered gambling or trigger a relapse for someone in recovery, undoing months or years of work and therapy! For this reason, the FCCG strongly recommends avoiding asking others to join betting pools or bracket contests.

Gambling Problem? 888-ADMIT-IT Reveals the Route to Recovery!

The good news is that treatment is available for gambling disorder, and recovery is possible. If gambling disrupts your life or that of a loved one in any way, call or text the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine today to get connected with proven resources. Let’s turn the spotlight on help and hope!

References:

[1] Brooks, Khristopher J. “How Much Money Is Bet on March Madness? The 2024 NCAA Tournament Is Expected to Generate Billions.” Edited by Anne Marie Lee, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2024, www.cbsnews.com/news/march-madness-ncaa-tournament-2024-bet-money-online-sports-gambling/.
[2] NCAA.com. “2025 March Madness: Men’s NCAA Tournament Schedule, Dates.” NCAA.com, 1 Mar. 2025, www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2024-05-03/2025-march-madness-mens-ncaa-tournament-schedule-dates.