July 22, 2010 - Gambling Zombies is a joint collaboration between Addiction Services Thames Valley (ADSTV) Problem Gambling Services and mindyourmind. The co-developed Gambling Zombies game is a web-based interactive tool for youth between the ages of 15-24 aimed at health promotion and education. The new tool will provide increased awareness of the effects of gambling.

"Today's youth are growing up with gambling all around them. Gambling studies show that adolescents report significantly higher rates of problem gambling than adults do and that problem gamblers are more likely to start gambling earlier in life than non-problem gamblers", says Lori Griffith Addiction Mental Health Counsellor at ADSTV. The tool will increase awareness of the physiological effects of gambling and the cognitive distortions that develop between wins and losses.

Maria Luisa Contursi, Program Manager at mindyourmind says "Educational games with interactive elements enhance engagement and awareness. Youth have told us they want information delivered in a way that fits their lifestyle."

The official launch will be viewable at mindyourmind.ca/zombieslaunch on July 29 at 10:30am. Interested viewers will have the opportunity to follow a virtual demonstration of the game and direct any questions to the creators and all involved.

This project was made possible by Ontario Trillium Foundation.

For further information, please contact us.