Gambling Addiction and Mental Health: ASAM Criteria, The Public Health Crisis and A Call to Action.
Includes a Live Web Event on 07/15/2025 at 10:30 AM (CDT)
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Register
- General Registration - Free!
Join us on July 15th from 10:30 - 12:00 pm CST for a 90 minute webinar with Dr. Harry Levant, the Director of Gambling Policy with the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University School of Law.
Gambling addiction is rapidly emerging as one of the most overlooked yet devastating behavioral health issues of our time. With the explosive rise of online gambling and sports betting, communities are facing a new and complex public health crisis—one that is often misunderstood, underdiagnosed, and undertreated.
This in-depth continuing education seminar offers a comprehensive look at gambling disorder through the lens of the ASAM Criteria, equipping participants with the knowledge and tools to better recognize, assess, and address this increasingly prevalent addiction. Whether you're a licensed clinician, public health professional, educator, policymaker, or advocate, this presentation will deepen your understanding of how gambling affects individuals and communities—and what can be done about it.
We will explore:
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The neuroscience and diagnostic criteria behind gambling addiction
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Why gambling disorder is not just a personal issue, but a systemic public health concern
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How industry tactics like “responsible gaming” messaging obscure deeper harm
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The gaps in current prevention, treatment, and recovery support services
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How to advocate for and implement effective, evidence-based responses
Attendees will come away with a clearer framework for understanding gambling disorder within the ASAM dimensions, practical strategies for client care, and a renewed sense of urgency to advocate for public health-based solutions.
Join us for this powerful session and become part of the movement to shift the conversation—from blame to care, from stigma to science, and from silence to action.
CE is pending approval.
Harry Levant, LP.D, MA PCC, ICGC-I, JD
Dr. Harry Levant is Director of Gambling Policy with the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University School of Law. He holds a doctorate in law and public policy from Northeastern University where his research focuses on developing a public health approach to prevent gambling-related harm and gambling disorder. He is also an Internationally Certified Gambling Counselor (ICGC-I) and mental health therapist in private practice and concentrates his practice treating people and families struggling with gambling disorder.
Dr. Levant also holds a master’s in professional clinical counseling from La Salle University and a juris doctorate from Temple University School of Law. He is a member of numerous professional organizations including the American Counseling Association, the Pennsylvania Counseling Association, Chi Sigma Iota National Honor Society for Counselors, and Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Levant is a public health advocate, and he recently testified before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee. He also regularly appears on television and radio addressing the prevention and treatment of gambling disorder. His work has recently been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, and the NBC Nightly News. He is the author of the law review commentary “Upon Further Review, the NFL Gambling Strategy is a Risk to Public Health” and co-author with Professor Richard Daynard and Professor Mark Gottlieb of the Boston Globe op-ed article, “Massachusetts Makes a Losing Bet on Gambling.”
Harry is also a gambling addict in recovery, having made his last bet on April 27, 2014. On that day, gambling addiction brought him within seconds of taking his life. Prevention of harm is the best form of treatment. In his role as Director of Gambling Policy at PHAI, Harry is helping to lead the effort to develop a comprehensive public health approach to regulate the gambling industry and prevent public harm.
