Virginia Partnership for Gaming and Health

The Virginia Partnership for Gaming and Health, in partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), recognizes March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM). This year’s theme, “Caring Communities, Stronger Futures,” emphasizes the importance of a community-driven approach to problem gambling awareness and support. The annual campaign aims to increase public awareness of problem […]

In December, VPGH certified peer recovery specialists Azeem Majeed and Matthew Britt facilitated “Chances and Choices: Understanding Gambling, Recovery, and Reentry,” a workshop for probationers at the Cold Springs Community Corrections Alternative Program (CCAP) within the Virginia Department of Corrections. Majeed and Britt talked about how risk-taking behaviors can be a coping mechanism for incarcerated individuals, […]

What once required a trip to a casino or racetrack now lives on a smartphone – a shift that is reshaping how young people encounter gambling and raising new concerns for educators across Virginia. The VCU Virginia Partnership for Gaming and Health (VPGH) presented that changing landscape to health and physical education teachers from across Virginia. The […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 11, 2025 CONTACT:Emma [email protected] Richmond, Virginia – The Virginia Partnership for Gaming and Health today announced its commitment as a participant of the 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign, joining lotteries and community organizations across North America and around the world to raise awareness about the risks of underage lottery use. The campaign is […]

Carolyn Hawley is analyzing the demographics and behaviors of gamblers to gain critical insights into more effective outreach and prevention strategies. By Joan Tupponce for VCU News Elizabeth Childress doesn’t remember a time from her youth when she wasn’t gambling. “I gambled my life, my freedom and my money every day,” Childress said. By the […]

September was National Recovery Month, and VPGH’s certified peer recovery specialists marked the annual observance by attending conferences and events across Virginia. These events offered an opportunity to raise awareness about problem gambling and connect directly with individuals and families to share VPGH resources. The summer was equally active. Staff explored potential collaborations with community […]

For more than 10 years, David L. Robbins has been helping veterans process their experiences in the military through writing as part of the Virginia War Memorial’s Mighty Pen Project. It’s not an uncommon strategy. Narrative therapy and writing exposure therapy have long been used to help people break down past traumas and heal by […]

As a teenager, Azeem Majeed received two life sentences without parole. He entered prison with no hope of ever coming out. Majeed was impacted by alcohol addiction—a major factor that led to the crimes he was convicted of as a minor—and struggled with gambling. But his incarceration became his first step on a path to […]

Once a support seeker connects with the Virginia Partnership for Gaming and Health—whether by calling the Virginia Problem Gambling Helpline or through our referral form—they’ll have access to our statewide network of 107 clinicians and five recovery organizations.  VPGH is a state-funded effort to increase the number of providers who are trained to work with […]

As the popularity of gambling grows—thanks to increased legalization, the integration of the gaming industry and U.S., sports culture, and easily accessible online gambling platforms—so does the number of people in need of help for problem gambling.  However, many support seekers discover unexpected barriers to accessing the care and treatment they need, often due to […]