Lt. Ken Love of Northern Michigan University Public Safety attends Monday’s Integrity in Sport and Gaming conference at NMU. Guests from the law enforcement and university communities, and others, learned about the online gaming world as it related to sports. (Journal photo by Christie Mastric)

By CHRISTIE MASTRIC

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — Most people don’t have a gambling problem, but for those who do, the evolving environment in that arena requires a collaborative effort to address it.

The Innovation Institute for Fan Experience on Monday presented an Integrity in Sport and Gaming conference at Mead Auditorium in the Science Building at Northern Michigan University for invited student-athletes and guests from Michigan universities, law enforcement, professional sports and the sports entertainment industry.

The purpose of the ISG conference was to identify vulnerabilities and collaboratively develop mitigation strategies to address a changing gambling environment. Topics included sports betting, integrity, compliance case studies, a discussion on sports book ledger deciphering, and the laws and policies surrounding sports betting.

Lt. Ken Love of NMU Public Safety, coordinator for the Public Safety Institute who also directs the Regional Police Academy, said the conference was about creating integrity in sports and gaming as it relates to collegiate sports.

“Online betting has obviously become more popular,” Love said. “It’s a multibillion-dollar business, and it does have an effect on universities and their sports programs, athletic programs — not just people betting on them but actually student-athletes getting involved with online gaming. There’s some addiction involved.”

A goal of the conference was to bring together law enforcement, athletic departments and student-athletes to understand the problem so they can work toward solutions and put a stop to problems before they begin, Love said. This involves being proactive and knowing what to look for in a situation.

“Not too many people understand online gaming and what occurs,” he said.

Many sports — even tennis and soccer — that are affected by online gaming, as well as sports fixing, were to be covered, Love said.

“You see the TV commercials and all the different online gaming, and it’s becoming very popular among everyone,” he said.

Love acknowledged that online gaming has made gambling less difficult.

“You can do it from your couch,” he said. “I think that’s increased. It makes it real easy. It’s hard to control who’s at the other end of that bet, whether it be a minor, someone with a serious addiction. So, it’s opened up a whole new world. You don’t have to do the ‘back door’ or the underground gaming with a bookie anymore. You can go on your phone and make your bets.”

He also pointed out that student-athletes could get into trouble financially and emotionally, which could jeopardize their education and careers, even if they’re not looking to move on to the pro ranks.

Love wanted conference attendees to have a few takeaways from the event.

“I think the biggest thing is to understand there are investigative departments out there than can assist them,” Love said. “There are people out there that can help with addiction.”

These, he noted, include support groups and counseling within their universities. Law enforcement agencies also can put them in the right direction.

“It’s important to try to intervene early before the addiction really affects their life, especially a student,” Love said.

Educating conference attendees on what to watch for, what to make people aware of — and trying to stop it before a problem begins — are other goals he said.

“I think the collaborative cooperation between athletics and law enforcement is what I really want people to take away,” Love said.

Self-awareness and self-control can play a part, too.

“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the online gaming,” Love said. “It’s just that you need to do it in moderation. Know your limits. Know your financial limits. It can become addictive. It’s just like anything else, especially if you’re successful at the beginning. You’re apt to just keep going, and the next thing you know, you’re not successful anymore.”

Dan Trolaro, vice president of prevention in the U.S. for Epic Risk Management, attended the conference.

He said gambling is expanding on a state-by-state basis, with every jurisdiction able to enforce it differently.

“There’s no clear set of national strategy or policy,” Trolaro said.

However, what is a common theme. he noted, is the desire to deal with sports betting and online wagering, which “puts the sports book in your pocket 24/7.”

What is being seen more, as a result, are ease and accessibility, along with more young people getting exposed earlier, Trolaro said.

“It’s novel,” he said. “It’s new. It’s curious. That’s not a problem at all, but more people are starting to gamble at an earlier age than we’ve seen historically.”

Trolaro stressed that over 90% of Americans can gamble responsibly.

“It’s a form of entertainment for most to enjoy,” he said. “But there’s a percentage of the population that starts to develop some problematic use, and a lot of that centers around the marketing that we’re starting to see. We’re starting to see the concept of those risk-free bets, which is something that’s somewhat concerning. We know with gambling, nothing’s ever risk-free, and for some, that could start to create a use issue.”

Warning signs, he said, include using a credit card, not showing up to work, decreased athletic and school performance, and starting to “chase the feeling.”

“Gambling is not a money problem,” Trolaro said. “It’s an emotional issue.”

He said the age group of 21-25 is particularly vulnerable because their brains are still developing.

“As adults, we’re the brake pedal for our young people,” Trolaro said. “Young people want to ‘go, go, go,’ and we’re there to say, ‘slow, slow, slow.'”

The conference was to feature speakers from the FBI of Detroit, the FBI Laboratory, SportRadar, GeoComply, Michigan State Police Gambling Unit and Epic Risk Management.

Love said it is hoped the conference can take place again at NMU, with similar conferences, which also address professional sports, taking place across the U.S.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.