OAPGG Newsletter
Edition 55, January 2026
Words from Wiley
Greetings,
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions or look at January 1 as an unusual day that inspires wishes for the upcoming year. Each day is like the other in that inspiration is only one breath away and possibilities are boundless. One level of measurement is the question: Is what I am doing today making me a kinder, better, and more loving person? All else is speculation and not helpful to our destiny. That being said, we will pursue the same programs and work to help those that have developed a problem with their gambling.
Of course we will have two basic trainings this year, one this spring and another in the fall. We will have our statewide conference on March 6, which I hope you will attend. The Midwest conference will be in June, and the NCPG conference will be in Nashville this July.
Soon there will be a new helpline number for NCPG and used by all participating states and casino operators. This means we will publish new brochures and posters to promote the new number. The new number will be announced in the coming days, and I will let you know. Also during January, we will begin producing a new training film for casino employees on responsible and problem gambling. This film will highlight interviews of casino employees, security personnel, and management. This is a great deal of fun to produce as the employees see the effects of problem gambling daily and have a desire to give individuals the help they need.
This past year saw the advent of the Evive application for citizens of Oklahoma to use to help them stop gambling, to cut back on gambling, or to stay responsible. We will give the annual report of the use of Evive at our state conference.
This year we also welcomed Christina Cook to the staff of OAPGG. Christina is a very well-known peer specialist with her podcast and her work with The Broke Girl Society. Christina has already begun a peer support group for women at the OAPGG office. She will also be helping those that use the Evive app to work on the resources and worksheets that are in the app, as well as following up on those who fill out the statewide self-exclusion form to see how they are doing and if they need further support.
I am very grateful to all of you that have a desire to help those with a gambling disorder. We all need one another for the support and energy that this work requires. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Wiley
Wiley D. Harwell
Executive Director of OAPGG
19th Annual Statewide Conference on Problem Gambling
Stay up-to-date on how problem gambling is affecting Oklahomans, and network with other stakeholders.
Date: March 6, 2026
Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Location: Citizen Potawatomi Cultural Heritage Center, 1899 S Gordon Cooper Dr, Shawnee, OK 74801
Earn 7 gambling-specific CEUs.
Registration is $40 and includes lunch.
Basic Training for Problem Gambling
Registration for our spring Basic Training is open! This training is the first step to becoming a certified counselor in Oklahoma.
Dates: March 20 and 27 and April 17 and 24
Time: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Registration is free for those in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Use the code MCPGSA for the discount.
Midwest Conference on Problem Gambling and Substance Abuse
From Stigma to Strength: Changing the Conversation, Changing the Tune
Earn up to 15 hours of CEUs, which can be counted toward gambling certification renewal if the presentation is gambling specific.
Dates: June 17-19, 2026
Location: Adams Pointe Conference Center, Blue Springs, Missouri
To receive a scholarship from OAPGG, select the “scholarship” option when you register on the conference website. OAPGG will take care of the rest!
Registration will open in March.
Women's Support Group (Norman Area)
Recover Her is a new support group that is open to women at any stage of recovery.
The group will meet every Thursday at 7:00 PM, except on holidays or during inclement weather, at the OAPGG office (501 E Alameda St, Suite E, Norman, OK 73071).
The group will be hosted by Christina Cook, IGRS, a lived-experience advocate and founder of The Broke Girl Society.
After 15 years of problem gambling and 4.5 years in recovery, she turned her story into a platform that shines a light on women affected by gambling.
Christina invites participants to "join other women for a confidential, compassionate space to share, listen, and support one another as we move toward recovery."
Evive
Evive helps people redefine their relationship with gambling, and it's free to all Oklahomans. Users can choose from pathways that help them quit gambling or gamble more safely. The app features daily check-ins, goal setting, lessons, and community support.
If you are a clinician, you can watch our free training video and earn 1 CEU.
Evive can be downloaded at www.getevive.com.
OAPGG’s Recent Activities
Fort Sill An Overview of Gambling Disorder and Digital Gambling
Wiley provided counselors at Fort Sill with an overview of gambling disorder and an update on the latest types of digital gambling.
ODMHSAS Momentum Conference
Ronnie, Kenzie, and Christina gave a presentation titled "Building Tomorrow’s Safety Net: Lessons from Oklahoma’s Launch of the New Digital Platform for Problem Gambling Support."