CLEVELAND — Michael Buzzelli of the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio said the group's problem gambling hotline blew up in the first few months of sports betting, with the monthly call average tripling.

“They’ve lessened since then, but we’re averaging around 800 calls a month," Buzzelli said. "And again, before sports betting that was anywhere from 400-500. So again calls tripled in the first couple months and now are steady at about double."

He said many sports betting operators flooded the market with ads to get people to sign up. He wanted to ensure there were resources available. His organization helped launch the Ohio TeleHealth network, which provides virtual counseling services. 

“The point is if gambling's available and accessible, then gambling treatment has to be just as available and accessible," Buzzelli said. 

The state had to crack down early on on advertisements from national operators that weren’t following Ohio’s regulations. The most recent data from the Ohio Casino Control Commission shows that through October, gamblers placed around 6 billion dollars in sports betting wagers, with about $780 million being generated in revenue. The state had collected around a hundred million in taxes. Jessica Franks of the Casino Control Commission said that money will help boost gambling addiction services.

“Really what we want to make sure is that there’s a lot of tools and information out there so that if people do choose to do so, they can do so responsibly," Franks said. 

Buzzelli said a new year means the state can decide what to do with the tax revenue from sports betting.

“We’re doing more prevention work and we’re really gonna be doing a lot of work with colleges and universities," Buzzelli said. "Making sure that their students are aware of problematic gambling behaviors, what they look like.”

Franks said the Casino Control Commission has several new programs they’d like to roll out from the sports betting revenue in 2024.