FanDuel launches 'Trusted Voices' initiative with NBA star Randy Livingston to promote responsible gambling

September marks Responsible Gaming Education Month, and FanDuel, an online gaming company in North America, announced a new partnership with former NBA player and basketball coach Randy Livingston and his wife, sports agent Anita Smith, to launch "Trusted Voices: Conversations About Betting." 

This new program and resource hub is designed to equip trusted adults, including parents, guardians, and coaches, with tools and resources to talk to young people about gambling, associated risks, how to recognize warning signs, and where to go for support.

In the "Trusted Voices: Conversations About Betting" video series, Livingston and Smith detail Livingston's incredible journey as a five-star prep phenom who went on to play several years in the NBA while also struggling with problem gambling. Livingston shares the story of his initial exposure to gambling, his rock-bottom moment, and his journey to recovery with the help of his wife, Smith.

Livingston and Smith hope that their family's story will help others going through similar experiences, and they have created educational resources for individuals to learn more about the risks of gambling, warning signs to look out for and how to begin gambling-related family conversations.

The content emphasizes the importance of modeling responsibility for adults who choose to bet. They also take time to break down what proxy betting is and the importance of not allowing those under-21 access to sports betting platforms.

Trusted Voices program content was created in consultation with EPIC Global Solutions, an organization that provides gambling harm prevention solutions. The program and its accompanying resources are available at ConversationsAboutBetting.com, which will continue to be updated with additional content in the coming months.

"As legal sports betting continues to become more accessible, I knew I wanted to use my experience to help families engage in proactive and informed conversations about gambling," Livingston said. "It became apparent to me and Anita that FanDuel shares our goal of helping parents navigate these tough, but important conversations."

"It is important to normalize conversations about gambling, and this program is intended to help families get comfortable with traditionally uncomfortable conversations," Smith added. "Randy and I are delighted to work with FanDuel to amplify the program's content and drive positive outcomes for young people and anyone who may be struggling with problem gambling."

 Alison Kutler, Vice President, Responsible Gaming and Community Impact at FanDuel

For her part, Alison Kutler, VP of Responsible Gaming and Community Impact at FanDuel, noted: "Randy and Anita have an incredible story and a desire to help others, and we are excited to expand our advocacy program to raise awareness of the importance of having early and informed family conversations about gambling and the associated risks."

"FanDuel aims to set and continuously raise the standard for what it means to be a responsible operator, and we look forward to Randy and Anita strengthening our RG ambassador team moving forward," she explained.

Video content from the program will be supported with paid media on digital, shared across FanDuel social channels, and featured on fanduel.com/playwell.

Teresa Fiore, VP of Partnerships at EPIC Global Solutions

Teresa Fiore, VP of Partnerships at EPIC Global Solutions, commented: "Randy's experience of problem gambling, coupled with Anita's first-hand account of what it is like to live alongside someone in that situation, makes for a powerful message and ensures that people sit up and listen."

"We are proud to have played our part in bringing this program to life and commend FanDuel for being proactive around encouraging families to be open in their discussions around engagement with gambling," she added.

In addition to launching "Trusted Voices: Conversations About Betting," FanDuel is expanding its relationship with Kindbridge Behavioral Health (Kindbridge) to further its program offering individuals who self-exclude from the FanDuel platform direct access to comprehensive mental health assessments and group support services nationwide.

The program was piloted in New Jersey and Ohio and is now available to individuals in all jurisdictions where FanDuel offers its sports betting and online casino platforms.

Kingsbridge is a pioneering mental health service provider dedicated to supporting individuals facing challenges related to problem gambling. The program provides resources for individuals in need to schedule appointments immediately with specialized problem gambling outpatient treatment providers via telehealth services.