EPIC Global Solutions has entered into a new partnership with Underdog to further the sports gaming operator’s investment in responsible gaming education through a series of training and workshops.

As part of the partnership, customer-facing Underdog employees participated in gaming harm awareness sessions and VIP relationships workshops presented by EPIC staff, increasing Underdog staff’s ability to recognize potentially problematic gaming behaviors in their customers.

The sessions were led by consultants who shared their own experience of how different forms of gaming proved problematic in their lives, including former NCAA and NBA point guard Stevin ‘Hedake’ Smith and former boxer Liz Thielen, and provided Underdog staff the chance to explore the human side of harm through a gaming-neutral lens.

EPIC’s VP North America Teresa Fiore said: “We’re very pleased with the positive start to our working relationship with Underdog. They have a deep understanding that responsible gaming practices must be at the core for any major operator, and it’s a constant and consistent process of learning and attentiveness.

“It’s clear from the session feedback that the responsible gaming message we share – influenced by the lived experience of our team – is making a difference to Underdog’s staff in a way that will further enhance their communication and customer relationships in a positive way.”

The training and workshops promoted business sustainability and customer protection by exploring communication techniques and best practices to foster healthy customer relationships.

“Partnering with EPIC has reinforced the culture of responsible gaming that we are building at Underdog. We look forward to furthering the understanding of responsible gaming within Underdog and continuing to participate in training sessions and workshops to deepen our player protection knowledge,” said Adam Warrington, Vice President of Responsible Gaming at Underdog.

The NCAA and EPIC Global Solutions announced an extension of their gambling harm education program collaboration. This extended collaboration reinforces the NCAA’s long-standing commitment to protecting student-athlete well-being and the integrity of college athletics.

Educating student-athletes on the dangers of sports betting continues to be a key priority for the Association. EPIC’s sessions have been a crucial piece of this education since January 2022.

“EPIC has been a great collaborator for us in this space. Their lived experience education model is helpful for our student-athletes to hear stories about the pitfalls of sports betting from people who were once in their shoes as elite athletes. Protecting student-athletes, giving them the tools necessary to safeguard themselves from bad actors and maintaining the integrity of competition have been and will continue to be priorities for us,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said.

The NCAA and EPIC Global Solutions have partnered to educate over 80,000 student-athletes through in-person, experiential sessions at more than 270 campuses nationwide across all three divisions, making it the largest program of its kind globally.

The effectiveness of existing sessions has been demonstrated through postevent surveys, in which 96% of student-athletes and 98% staff members report that they have good or excellent awareness of the potential harms of gambling as a result of EPIC’s talks in the past year. Additionally, EPIC has hosted focus groups with student-athletes and staff to ensure that future sessions are tailored to the live needs of those active in NCAA sports.

The new agreement will allow NCAA members to receive in-person educational sessions fully funded by the NCAA national office through the end of 2027. Sessions will expand into topics like handling social media harassment, promoting competition integrity and the mental health impacts of sports betting.

“At a time of unprecedented growth of gambling in the USA, it is imperative that higher-risk populations receive high-quality education and awareness around the potential of harm. This will help to protect the student-athletes and also the integrity of the events. We applaud President Baker, and the NCAA as an organization, for prioritizing this program and committing long term to EPIC as the provider,” Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Global Solutions, said.

The national office and representatives from member schools continuously work together to determine best practices for addressing the sports wagering landscape. The Association will continue to enhance and expand its offering of resources and initiatives to ensure the protection of student-athlete well-being and the integrity of college athletics.