Young adults in Springfield are stepping up to change how we talk about gambling. With the support of the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services and local partners, the Gambling Awareness Research Initiative (GARI) is a groundbreaking, youth-led project that combines public health strategies such as prevention and community education with a community art contest to better understand gambling and its effects among adolescents and young adults ages 16 -26.
Personal experiences and perceptions about gambling are often easier for young people to express through the creative arts. Once the contest is completed, GARI plans to share the insights learned to inspire community dialogue, develop future prevention strategies, and identify ways to address gambling-related harms among young people in Springfield and beyond.
“Young people’s experiences related to gambling and its harms are critically important for prevention, awareness, and treatment,” said Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Springfield Department of Health and Human Services. “We must listen to what they are saying through their stories, their struggles, and their strength.”
GARI, which began in the fall of 2023, is a collaborative effort of the City of Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, the Young Adult Action Collective (YAAC), New North Citizens Council (NNCC), and the University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Community Health Equity Research (CCHER). Currently, GARI is funded by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission Community Mitigation Fund.
“Through our collaborative Gambling Awareness Research Initiative (GARI), we are dedicated to understanding the impact of gambling and empowering youth with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed decisions,” shared Jarix Santiago of NNCC. “Together, we aim to foster a healthier environment for future generations.”
Dr. Linnea Evans of UMass CCHER added, “We are excited to be partners in this community-academic collaboration focused on understanding how gambling is impacting young people. Our goal is to listen to and elevate their voices as they share experiences and concerns about the growing reach of gambling - especially among their age group. With so little known about how gambling affects youth and young adults, their insight is critical for creating meaningful solutions.
Springfield Youth Invited to Use Creativity to Explore Gambling Harms
Recent research conducted by SEIGMA, the UMass-based study established in 2013 to monitor the social and economic impacts of gambling in Massachusetts and funded by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, found that 64% of Springfield young adults aged 18–34 had gambled in the past year Additionally, research indicates that problem gambling disproportionally affects individuals of all ages who experience economic hardship, as well as communities of color and sexual and gender minority groups.
Today’s gambling landscape extends far beyond traditional casinos, lottery tickets and sports wagers. Newer forms of gambling such as microtransactions in video games and emerging gambling apps often go unnoticed. As opportunities for gambling increases locally and nationally, creating awareness of potential harms and fostering community conversations about solutions becomes critically important. The Wagers and Whispers Community Art Contest offers this opportunity while also celebrating the gifts and talents of the city’s ethnically and culturally diverse youth.
“We’re not just talking about casinos,” said Victor Martinez, a member of the GARI Young Adult Action Collective and community member. “We’re talking about loot boxes, sports betting in group chats, and slot machine games right on your phone.”
Wagers & Whispers: Place Your Bet on Community Art Contest
This summer, GARI launches its signature crowdsourced community art contest:
Wagers & Whispers: Place Your Bet on Community Art.
Beginning June 25, 2025, Springfield residents ages 16–26 are invited to submit art that reflects how they experience and understand gambling. Submissions can include visual art, poetry, music, animation, digital media, dance, and more. All forms of creative expression are accepted. Contest guidelines include:
- The contest is not about being a professional artist—it’s about truth, experience, and voice. Every submission helps shape the larger conversation on how gambling impacts young people in Springfield and other communities.
- Please submit creative art entries via the GARI website: https://www.gariproject.org/wagers-and-whispers. Photos of artwork are welcomed as well as standard digital formats.
- Each person who submits will receive a $25 gift card for their first entry.
- Multiple creative entries are accepted for participating artists if they would like to explore different ideas and mediums.
- Up to 15 winners will receive prizes of $250, $150, and $100 through a community voting process in September.
- The current deadline for submissions is August 15, 2025.
How to Enter
Visit: www.gariproject.org/wagers-and-whispers
Follow: @gariproject413 on Instagram
Email: gariproject413@gmail.com with questions
For more information, including how local organizations, faith institutions and institutions of higher education can collaborate to expand the reach of the contest, please contact:
Theresa Glenn, MPH, Problem Gambling Coordinator, City of Springfield Department of Health and Human Services at (413) 750 - 2065 or tglenn@springfieldcityhall.com
