Water cooler talk around the office has likely been focused on the big Powerball jackpot over the last few weeks. With the NFL playoffs underway, there will soon be discussions and friendly bets about which team will advance to the big game. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) reminds Iowans that for the vast majority, playing the lottery and other forms of gambling are a harmless pastime, but for others, it’s a dangerous obsession that results in big losses, not big winnings.

“Although we generally do not draw a connection between gambling and the workplace, it is important to recognize the workplace is often the site of office wagers for sports and other events, purchasing lottery tickets, and can even be the place for fantasy sport play,” said IDPH Gambling Treatment Program Manager Eric Preuss.

Fortune magazine reported last year that fantasy football might be costing businesses $13.4 billion dollars every single season. An estimated 18.3 million people play fantasy football for two hours a week while on the clock at work, resulting in $895 million paid every week to workers who aren’t working. That’s $13.4 billion over a regular 15-week season.

With funding from IDPH, Employee and Family Resources in Des Moines and Heartland Family Service in Council Bluffs have created the Gambling in the Workplace Toolkit to address this concern. The toolkit includes a comprehensive policy template for businesses to use, staff training materials to explain the impact of gambling on the workplace, posters and other informational materials.

To obtain the free Gambling in the Workplace Toolkit, contact Katie Bee, CPS, Prevention Manger with Employee & Family Resources at kbee@efr.org or by calling (515) 471-2327. For more information about the IDPH Gambling Treatment Program, visit http://idph.iowa.gov/igtp.