Tillamook County proclaims March 2025 Problem Gambling Awareness Month

The Tillamook County Board of Commissioners on March 5 approved Order No. 25-002 proclaiming March 2025 as Problem Gambling Awareness Month in Tillamook County, Oregon.

Sarah Armer, prevention specialist with the Tillamook Family Counseling Center, told commissioners the county’s adults spend more on the lottery than the state average and that young people are increasingly exposed to online gambling. "The help is free and confidential in Oregon," Armer said, giving the Oregon problem gambling resource phone number and website as referral options.

Armer told the board that an estimated 1 to 3 percent of people who gamble experience gambling-related harm and cited local differences in lottery spending: about 1.7 percent of median income in Tillamook County compared with 1.2 percent statewide. She also noted that a 2022 student health survey found about 21 percent of Tillamook County 11th graders reported participating in online gambling in the previous three months, which can include sports betting apps, online casinos and video-game loot boxes.

Commissioners thanked Armer for the presentation and asked clarifying questions about harms and available services. After discussion a commissioner moved approval of Order No. 25-002; another commissioner seconded the motion. The motion passed with an affirmative vote recorded during the meeting.

Why it matters: The proclamation is intended to raise awareness, point residents to treatment resources and encourage conversations about the risks of gambling, particularly among youth.

Additional details: Armer described problem gambling as a "hidden addiction" with no external physical symptoms and said that people in treatment sometimes report suicidal ideation. The county proclamation does not create new programs or funding; it formally recognizes the awareness month and publicizes existing resources.