Art Contest for 2026 Calendars

Mar 1, 2025 | Problem Gambling, RGANM In The News

As part of the outreach for National Problem Gambling Awareness Month, the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico (RGANM) is sponsoring an art contest for New Mexico students in grades 6 through 12 to help educate their peers about the risks of underage gambling and the potential for harm. According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, between 60 to 80 percent of high school students report having gambled for money in the past year and 4-6% meet the criteria of a problem gambler.

Artwork should be on 8.5×11 white paper in a horizontal format. See the criteria here. It should illustrate a message of education or prevention. Submitted artwork will be evaluated for use in a 2026 calendar that RGANM will print and distribute. Thirteen submissions will be chosen for the calendar’s cover and 12 months; the winning cover design will receive a $100 gift card and each winner for a monthly page will receive a $50 gift card.

The student’s name, grade level and school should be included on the back of the artwork, as well as a valid phone number and email. Submissions can be made to smdictson@matgc.org. For more information, call 575- 464-7106. The deadline for submissions is May 15, 2025. Calendars will be available by December of 2025 for distribution. Details of the distribution will be announced on our website.

March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month

Feb 28, 2025 | Problem Gambling, RGANM In The News

The Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico (RGANM) in collaboration with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) dedicates March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month, the 22nd such anniversary. Across New Mexico, RGANM offers year-round outreach, prevention, and treatment for those affected by problem gambling. It’s estimated that about 2 million adults nationally meet the criteria for severe problem gambling. In March 2025, RGANM is also launching a student art contest to provide artwork for an upcoming 2026 educational calendar.

“In the last year, we have seen a rise in sports betting, both at some New Mexico casinos as well as online apps. The penetration of online gaming in both adults and youth is also increasing,” said Shannon Dictson, the association’s president and the coordinator of the Mescalero Responsible Gaming Program in Mescalero, New Mexico. “Requests for help on our website increased in 2024 as did calls to our free and confidential 24/7 helpline, staffed by counselors trained in problem gambling treatment.”

March is not only Problem Gambling Awareness Month, it is also when the annual college basketball tournament is held. Americans are expected to wager more than $3 Billion dollars on the March Madness tournament, with players making bets in Las Vegas, online gaming, sportsbooks, and office pools. It was estimated that for the recent NFL Super Bowl, Americans wagered $1.39 Billion dollars, according to the American Gaming Association.

“Gambling has become pervasive across the United States in the last few years,” said Dictson. “In New Mexico, the collaboration of Native American tribes that formed the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico before casinos even opened in 1997 knew that help would be needed. RGANM provides many helpful resources, including free treatment, that are available for the gambler and their family. We hold an annual August seminar for treatment providers, which helps educate them on the latest research and options to help problem gamblers and run public service announcements on how to find help.”

Our website provides more information and resources for treatment providers can be found at RGANM.org or by calling the RGANM Helpline at 888-696-2440. Nationwide statistics and resources can be found on the NCPG website at ncpgambling.org.

Regional Problem Gambling Conferences in 2025

Feb 27, 2025 | Problem Gambling Conference, RGANM In The News

In an effort to provide continuing education to treatment providers across our large state, the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico holds occasional workshops and symposiums on problem gambling in locations across New Mexico. Information about our annual conference is found here. Here are the more intimate, regional sessions that are scheduled for 2025:

May 9, 2025 at Sky City Casino in Acoma, NM: The 5th Annual Symposium on Problem Gambling: Two Roads Meet 2025. This one-day session will be presented by Daniel Blackwood, LPCC IGCC2-BACC, and David Lente, LADAC ICGC2. Problem gambling is often described as the “hidden addiction” because it is so easy to hide in the earlier stages and often goes undetected in relationships, families, in the therapy room, at primary care doctor visits, and at the emergency room. Acoma Business Enterprises in cooperation with The Evolution Group, Inc., is offering a unique therapist training opportunity that is being held at Sky City Casino for providers in New Mexico. This training seminar is comprehensive introduction training for therapists, to learn how to effectively treat the complex issues that persons with a gambling disorder present keeping in mind, cultural diversity. To register, click here.
September 25-26, 2025 at Inn of the Mountain Gods in Mescalero, NM. This will be a two-day session. The topic and presenters are not yet finalized. Please check back for more information and a link to register.

2024 Infographic

Jan 29, 2025 | RGANM In The News

Our annual summary of 2024’s outreach and services to those affected by problem gambling is summarized below in an infographic. For any questions about our services or the association of native casinos, contact president@rganm.org.

2024 Annual Report

Jan 29, 2025 | RGANM In The News

For information on our 2024 efforts in education, prevention, and treatment for compulsive gamblers and their families, our annual report offers a review of the outreach provided. The Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico is a voluntary collaboration of Native-owned casino properties. By pooling our funds for outreach about problem gambling, we are able to offer a cohesive program to educate New Mexicans, advocating responsible gaming and offering support and treatment for those who begin to gamble too much, as well as to their families. For information about our efforts, please email president@rganm.org. In 2024, an increase in available funds allowed more outreach, leading to increases in website visits, calls to the helpline, and intakes for treatment. Click the pdf below to access the 2024 report.

RGA 2024 Annual Report

Student Planners Available

Aug 21, 2024 | RGANM In The News

As part of the organization’s effort to educate youth on the risks of gambling, the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico has produced 2024-2025 student planners. These planners cover the current school year with pages to note assignments, important dates, and notes.

The planners also include information on the risks of gambling. Studies have shown that people who start to gamble earlier in life are at a greater risk of developing a gambling compulsion.

Legal consequences in New Mexico for underage gambling can include misdemeanor charges and fines. Other consequences aren’t as tangible, but may include declining academic success, lack of interest in social and extracurricular activities, anxiety and depression, and mounting debt. Gambling activity can also be associated with other high-risk activities among youth, like drug and alcohol use.

“We want our state’s teens to focus on education and part of that is understanding that gambling is a form of entertainment for adults and only when when it does not interfere with daily life or the ability to pay bills and provide for your family,” said Shannon Dictson, president of the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico. She is also the responsible gaming coordinator for the Mescalero Responsible Gaming Program and began the student planner project several years ago, focused on the Mescalero area.

In 2024, the planners became a statewide effort, she says. “We would love to share these with any students who are in middle or high school. If you’d like to receive a copy, contact me and we will get it to you.”

To receive a student planner, use the RGANM.com contact form, directing the email to the President. In the Comments, include your name and mailing address as well as how many teens are in the home.