Change the Game Ohio Youth Gambling Prevention Campaign - Prevention Action Alliance

Much of the youth gambling prevention field has evolved since the first site was launched five years prior. While the goal remains to inform adults on how they can help prevent youth gambling before it starts by being aware of new risks and sharing that information with youth, the revamped campaign allowed us to address new issues and studies on this subject matter to support families and youth as engagement with and exposure to sports betting, online gaming, and other forms of gambling continues to rise as more forms of gambling enter the state.

Through new research and surveys conducted by the state amongst youth and adults, Origo was able to establish a new creative approach for Change the Game Ohio through updated messaging, outreach tactics, a PSA video, and a revamped website experience. Furthermore, we conducted market research with behavioral health professionals, parents, and educators to guide our messaging and resource development and test our different strategies.

One of the largest tactics we participated in was creating a new PSA video. The video educated and alerted adults to ways that youth may be engaging in gambling and how having a conversation about youth gambling can be the first step to preventing it. The live-action, 30-second PSA included an in-depth video shoot and the creation of custom graphics, showcasing how video games can mimic gambling activities and expose youth to new experiences similar to betting.

Another large aspect of the revamp was an updated website. Included in this strategy was a new campaign tagline, “Help Prevent Youth Gambling,” a new page on The Issue to share important, up-to-date statistics on youth gambling, discussion guides and resources, and a quiz that quickly gauges a youth’s risk level for a gambling disorder. Origo then worked to integrate all of this information with a modern style that reflected how gambling can reflect youth of all ages while improving site functionality and accessibility.

With a new, streamlined user experience and visual identity, our partners saw a significant increase in site viewership, downloads of the parent, educator, and behavioral health professional resources, and engagement with the online quiz. Furthermore, as behavioral health partners continued to see an increased need for this content, our client saw an accelerated rise in organizations using our online toolkits to co-brand our materials in their outreach strategies for their counties, generating a localized push for our campaign while remaining consistent with our creative messaging and design.