Mohegan Tribe, Yale University team up for app to combat problem gambling

The owners of one of Connecticut’s largest casinos are teaming up with one of the state’s largest universities to fund a new program aimed at combatting problem gambling in the state and nationwide.

During a press conference on Tuesday, leaders of the Mohegan Tribe announced they would be funding a grant of $2 million over the next five years to help fund research at Yale University. That research is aimed at creating a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy program to assist gambling addicts. 

More specifically, the funding will go toward developing a mobile app for those without access to in-person treatment and funding clinical trials to test it.

“Digital products, such as mobile apps, hold great promise to broaden access to mental health treatment, provided they have demonstrated effectiveness through clinical trials with the same standards we would have for any new psychological treatment or medication,” said  Dr. Brian Kiluk, associate professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. “We are confident that this product will meet those standards and be a great resource for the citizens of Connecticut and beyond who are seeking help from gambling and gambling issues.”

The new push comes after calls to the state’s gambling crisis hotline increased when the state introduced online sports and casino betting, according to the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling.

“Our Tribe recognizes that as new products such as sports betting come to market, we must raise the bar for ourselves to do even more to help those suffering from problem gambling,” said James Gessner Jr., Chairman of the Mohegan Tribe. “This new partnership with Yale is the next frontier in promoting responsible gambling, and we are excited for Yale to get to work.”