Hosted by the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling (ICPG), Cicero Family Services, and Loyola University, this annual conference brings together educators, mental health professionals, youth advocates, and community leaders to explore the complex and evolving impact of gambling on Latinx youth and their families. With a 2025 theme focused on “Youth & the Future of Gambling”, this event offers timely insights, dynamic speakers, and culturally informed strategies to advance prevention, treatment, and community action.

Sessions will cover youth-specific prevention strategies, sports betting trends, cultural influences, lived experience stories, and the intersection of gaming and gambling. Attendees will also hear from policymakers and participate in community-based learning through an art exhibit and live performances.

Objectives:

By attending this conference, participants will be able to:

Identify key risk factors and warning signs of gambling behaviors in LatinX you and examine how cultural and familial dynamics may influence risk and prevention strategies.

Explore effective, culturally responsive outreach and prevention methods that resonate within LatinX Communities, particularly among educators, youth leaders and counselors.

Analyze the intersection of technology, sports betting, and gambling on campus, and evaluate how these emerging issues can be addressed through policy, education, and clinical intervention.