We are proud to partner with INTENTA for this purpose, as the #MindYourGame campaign fits in perfectly with our mission of promoting responsible gambling, sports integrity, and compliance across the industry.
The Entain Foundation US has announced that it will conduct esports mental wellness sessions at over 450 high schools in 40 US states as part of the #MindYourGame campaign.
The campaign will support young players who may struggle with problem gaming. INTENTA is a behavioral health platform that is in partnership with the initiative. The INTENTA platform supports “gamers and their loved ones as well as educates professionals on how to support healthy gaming and identity problematic gaming behaviors.”
The #MindYourGame campaign aims to educate students on the benefits of esports while raising awareness of playing safely to improve mental health. The Entain Foundation stated that the initiative was born through necessity due to the growing popularity of gaming and esports since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many players turned to online gaming for entertainment and to build relationships in the absence of face-to-face contact.
“There has been an associated rise in gaming and mental health issues: an estimated 3% of gamers suffer from gaming disorder, and 10% are at risk of problematic play,” Entain said in a statement. “Therefore, esports requires careful attention from players, families, educators, and professionals to play safely and responsibly.”
With esports becoming increasingly popular, particularly among young people, it is imperative that operators conduct outreach to players and educate them on the importance of prioritizing mental health.
“With esports becoming increasingly popular, particularly among young people, it is imperative that operators conduct outreach to players and educate them on the importance of prioritizing mental health,” Martin Lycka, Trustee at Entain Foundation US and SVP for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling at Entain Plc told pokerfuse in an exclusive statement.
“We are proud to partner with INTENTA for this purpose, as the #MindYourGame campaign fits in perfectly with our mission of promoting responsible gambling, sports integrity, and compliance across the industry,” he added.
Entain Foundation & INTENTA Partnership: Key Points
- Entain Foundation US has partnered with INTENTA to launch a mental health campaign for esports at over 450 high schools in 40 US states.
- The #MindYourGame initiative will educate students on the benefits of esports while also raising awareness of mental health issues related to gaming.
- The syllabus includes how gaming affects the brain, the risks of in-game overspending, and the importance of balance in esports.
- Entain has a powerful presence in the US, where it operates under the brand names of MGM Resorts, BetMGM, and partypoker.
- The campaign will include an esports educational series called Gaming World, which will provide strategies for playing safely and improving mental health and support pathways for those struggling with problematic gaming.
- The initiative will also spotlight the benefits of gaming and esports, including enhanced problem-solving skills, improved memory, and greater engagement in STEM subjects.
Esports is here to stay, and gamers are the next generation of athletes. As in traditional sports, a strong body and mind are key to success.
The #MindYourGame campaign will include an esports educational series called Gaming World, which will be a video series aimed at the target audience of gaming enthusiasts. The program will share strategies for playing safely to protect and improve students’ mental health and provide support pathways for anyone struggling with problematic gaming.
“Esports is here to stay, and gamers are the next generation of athletes. As in traditional sports, a strong body and mind are key to success. The #MindYourGame campaign provides an opportunity to engage all types of players on the importance of physical and mental health and leverage esports as a source of personal and professional growth,” said Cam Adair, Co-Founder of INTENTA, told pokerfuse in an exclusive statement.
“Encouraging our players to actively manage their mental health is exactly the type of project we are proud to support,” Lycka said last month.
Many of the over 450 high schools involved in the campaign are in low-income neighborhoods, with Bubba Gaeddert, Executive Director at Varsity Esports Federation, stating that the students that attend the schools would “not normally have access to these tools and insights or receive this level of support to reach their potential through gaming and esports.”
INTENTA hopes to branch out in the future to offer support beyond iGaming, “We are not gambling experts or focus on gambling addiction; however, more and more young people are at risk of gambling addiction through gaming and esports, so our plan in the future is to include prevention around esports betting. We already include the convergence between gambling and gaming in our content,” a spokesperson told pokerfuse.
