Ymca Gambling Contest
On June 7, we celebrated the top 3 contestants in our Award Ceremony for the annual Youth 4 Youth Digital Media Contest. The contest encourages youth between the ages of 18 and 24 to raise awareness of youth gambling, youth problem gambling, and the support resources available to them.
Aug 20, 2020 Official Rules Wood-Dulohery Pigskin Cash Sweepstakes 2020 No purchase necessary. One valid entry per contestant. You must be 18 years of age or older at time of entry to be eligible for this contest. This contest is void where prohibited by law. Winners will be notified by email and/or phone. If a winner is unreachable after seven (7) days,. Congrats to Danny McInnis, who created the third-place video in our Youth for Youth Digital Media Contest (Y4Y). Y4Y calls on youth to use their talent and creativity to shine a light on gambling through digital media. Watch his video on the blurred lines between gambling and video games. Let us know what you think by liking or re-sharing! The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity offering opportunities for personal growth, community involvement and leadership. Charitable registration number: RR0001. Youth Gambling Awareness. Employment Programs. Windsor & Essex County YMCA Pages. Windsor - Schedules. YMCAWO Contest Rules.
This year’s topic was the blurred lines between gambling and gaming. Contestants were asked to create a poster and video that would shine a light on the topic among their peers. A panel of contest organizers, a jury of youth volunteers (ages 15-18), and a public voting period were used to select the winners.
Here’s what our winners had to say about the contest:
1st place winner: exposing misconceptions about online poker games
Lucas Watts won first place with his video submission that exposes how online poker games are very similar to other video games played by youth. These similarities blur the lines between gambling and gaming. Lucas’ video demonstrates the potential risks of online poker apps if harm reduction strategies are not used and points viewers to the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Youth Gambling Awareness Program.
Ymca Gambling Contest 2020
Lucas, who is originally from Brantford, Ontario, developed an interest in videography and photography while he was a student at the University of Ottawa, where he studied philosophy and psychology.
Before participating in the contest, Lucas knew about some of the risks of online poker games since some of his friends play them. But he didn’t realize these risks posed problems for many youths.
The contest also helped Lucas discover what he is truly capable of accomplishing when he sets his mind to something.
“The lesson is that if you [commit] to something, it can pay off and work out,” says Lucas.
2nd place winner: exploring the ways gambling is embedded in video games
Charlotte Durnford-Dionne and Hailey Asquin of Team Huron St. Creative won second place with their video that reveals the ways that gambling is embedded into video games.
Both Charlotte and Hailey are recent graduates from OCAD University in Toronto, where Charlotte studied advertising and Hailey studied graphic design. Participating in the contest allowed Charlotte to create video content for the first time and Hailey, who taught herself videography and photography in her first year of university, was excited by the opportunity to work with Charlotte on a creative project.
Ymca Gambling Contest 2019
Participating in the contest opened Hailey and Charlotte’s eyes to the entire sector of gambling. They now know why spending money to open loot boxes or paying for a second chance at a level in a video game can be considered gambling activities. The team has also learned ways to reduce the harm associated with these activities, like setting time and money limits.
Both teammates say the contest helped them feel more knowledgeable and comfortable when discussing gambling and gaming.
“I am not a gamer, so this was an area of knowledge I was lacking in. I also had never made a video before, so that was a whole new skill I learned,” says Charlotte.
“If the topic of gambling and gaming came up in conversation, I would feel more equipped to talk about it,” says Hailey.
3rd place winner: a closer look at Freemium Model games
In their video, best friends Sarah Wilson and Brian Mestdagh from London, Ontario discussed how Freemium Models are a form of gambling. Freemium Models allow players to pay for additional chances at levels in games. But because the outcome of the level is still random, players are risking something of value.
Sarah, who works as a freelance videographer and as a certified sales specialist at Best Buy, has represented her high school in regional and provincial videography contests. In September, Sarah will be continuing her education at Fanshawe College for TV Broadcasting and Film Production.
Brian is currently enrolled in Fanshawe College for Police Foundations and also works as a Sony master and salesperson at Henry’s Camera Store. He has been a visual creator for many years and has worked at events like the Juno Awards.
“When we saw the topic was gambling, we immediately thought of poker and casinos…Now, we understand that gambling activities can be hidden in everyday activities that we [participate] in like video games and online games,” says Brian.
Brian explains that the team also “learned how to receive feedback and apply it to effectively get a message across” through participating in the contest.
Sarah adds the contest also helped them discover what direction they want to go in the future with their passion for filmmaking.
Register for the next round of the contest
Use your creativity to raise awareness of gambling issues! Registration opens on August 15, 2019, for the next round of the Youth 4 Youth Digital Media Contest.
By: Alex Kleynhans, YMCA Youth Gambling Awareness Program
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling a bit stressed as of late. Between the constant news updates on COVID-19, and doing my part by staying home as much as possible, I find myself constantly looking for activities to fill my time, cope with the stress, and distract me a little from everything that’s going on right now.
I bet many of you feel the same way, which makes this the perfect time to talk about gambling.
Now, I know you’re thinking, “Why? Aren’t casinos temporarily shut down?” You are correct my well-informed reader, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t gambling. It’s happening in homes everywhere, on our laptops, tablets, and phones, and in media we don’t typically associate with gambling, such as video games. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Online gambling is a valid, fun form of entertainment. But, like pretty much any activity, it comes with risks.
Fortunately, these risks can be mitigated by following a few practices for safe gambling.
1. Set limits
Gambling can be fun, which makes it easy to lose track of how much money you’ve spent or how long you’ve been playing. Set limits on both, and stay within them! Set an alarm, or use a screen-time monitoring app to help you keep track of the time. And use a card that isn’t linked to your bank account, such as a gift card.
2. Know the online difference
There are differences between playing in-person and online. Online games are faster, accessible at all hours of the day (and night), and your opponents are sometimes computer-operated bots instead of real players. To stay safe, research any game before you play it, so you understand the rules, expected payout, and how it may be different than its offline version.
3. Protect your personal information
One part of your pre-play research should include ensuring the website you’re planning to use isn’t fraudulent and that your personal information will be kept confidential. Even then, you should protect yourself further by using a gift card or prepaid credit card instead of a debit or credit card. That way, your financial information will be protected if either your account or the website gets hacked.
4. Strike a balance with other activities you love
At a stressful time like this, we all indulge in the activities we love to help us cope. If you enjoy gambling, balance it out and keep doing the other things you love, too. That includes making time for your friends and family. We may be physical distancing, but you can still give your mom a call!
These are just some starting points to help make sure that, if you choose to gamble online, it stays safe and fun. If you want to learn more, join “Game-Bling”: a free webinar by our YMCA’s Youth Gambling Awareness Program where we’ll explain even more ways you can make informed choices. Email YGAP@ymcagta.org to get the details and sign up today!
Alex oversees digital initiatives run by the YMCA’s Youth Gambling Awareness Program (YGAP), which help generate peer-based discussion among youth about safe gambling habits, and assists in the creation of educational workshops and webinars. Currently, he is running a Digital Media Contest that challenges youth ages 18-24 from across Ontario to create a poster or video discussing the blurred lines that exist between gambling and video games.