Empowered to Respond: A 101 Overview of Gambling Policy, Risk, and Community Impact
Includes a Live Web Event on 04/23/2026 at 12:00 PM (CDT)
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Please join us on April 23rd, 2026 from 12:00pm-1:00pm CT with Brianne Doura-Schawohl!
As gambling continues to expand across the U.S. — including online gambling, sports betting, and emerging models like sweepstakes — community mental health systems are increasingly encountering individuals and families experiencing gambling-related harm. This introductory (101) training is designed to equip community mental health leaders with foundational knowledge of gambling policy, economic drivers, and their implications for prevention, treatment, and recovery services. The training is open to anyone but the content will be focused for the Association of Community Mental Health Authorities of Illinois.
Participants will gain a practical understanding of how legislative trends, economic pressures, and funding decisions intersect with behavioral health needs — and how community mental health authorities can play a critical role in mitigating harm and supporting recovery.
Objectives:
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
- Explain how economic pressures influence gambling policy decisions, including why gambling is often viewed as a revenue solution during downturns and how this can affect funding for prevention and treatment services.
- Understand the connection between gambling policy and public health, including the role of responsible gambling, prevention, treatment, and recovery supports within a behavioral health framework.
- Recognize opportunities for community mental health authorities to feel empowered, including collaboration, advocacy, referral pathways, and integration of gambling-related screening and supports into existing services.
Live and On Demand CE pending approval.
This training is sponsored in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery.
ICPG workshops and trainings provide CEU (continuing education units) through the Illinois Certification Board based on approval for individual trainings.
The State of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Division of Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has approved all ICPG workshops and trainings as a Registered Social Worker CE Sponsor. This program is recognized as providing CE hours for: LSW/LCSW and LPC/LCPC under IDFPR license #159.001302.
The International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization recognizes ICPG as a preferred partner for workshops and trainings in line with the ICGC Level I & II.
Brianne Doura-Schawohl
Brianne Doura-Schawohl is founder and CEO of Doura-Schawohl Consulting LLC, a boutique global government relations firm that specializes in problem and responsible gambling policy. She most recently served as Vice President of US Policy and Strategic Development for EPIC Risk Management, a global harm prevention consultancy, conducting work in over 24 countries. Prior to her role at EPIC, Brianne served as Legislative Director for the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). Her experience includes over a decade of leadership in advocacy, public policy, government affairs, and communications.
Doura-Schawohl’s practice spans a wide range of work with executive and legislative branch officials and private sector stakeholders at the international, federal, state, and local levels of government. She has a history of achievements in State and United States Congressional legislative work, including a diverse portfolio of complex problem gambling policy issues. This continues to be invaluable in her ability to make a difference on behalf of people with gambling problems around the world.
Doura-Schawohl works with Congress and numerous state legislatures and regulators to provide expert advice on gambling policy. She continues to work with stakeholders on both sides of the aisle. Additionally, she has been featured in international, national, state, and local media, including ABC News, Bloomberg, CBS, CNBC, Forbes, ESPN, The Athletic, The Financial Times, The New York Times, The Washington Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, CBC and others.
Brianne was named one of the top lobbyists in 2023 and 2022 by ‘The Hill’, named one of the top 100 lobbyists in 2022 and 2021 by the National Institute of Lobbying & Ethics (NILE), was featured as one of the 25 People to Watch in 2022 by Global Gaming Business, an honoree of the 2023 class of 40 under 40 Emerging Leaders in Gaming, is an honoree of the 2023-2024 ‘10 Women Rising in Gaming’ by Global Gaming Women and CDC Gaming Reports and named one of the top 10 most influential women in gaming in 2023 by iGB. In 2019 she was appointed as a member of the Digital Gaming Advisory Group for the State of Hawaii and continues to serve on various coalitions.
In 2020 and 2021 she was a guest faculty member for Seton Hall Law School at their Gaming Law, Compliance, and Integrity Program and continues to be a guest lecturer for the University of Minnesota, Global Institute for Responsible Sport Organizations, and at Bradley University. Doura-Schawohl presents at conferences and other public events on gaming policy across the United States, Europe, Canada, and Australia.
Doura-Schawohl serves on the Board of Directors for Kindbridge Behavioral Health and is a member of the leadership team of the NILE Next Gen Executives committee, a group committed to advancing educational & networking opportunities for the next generation of leaders within the government relations profession. She is a member of the National Council on Problem Gambling military affairs committee.
Mrs. Doura-Schawohl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Mary Washington. She is a proud military spouse and resides in Fairfax, Virginia with her family.
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