Underdog Expands Consumer Protection With Birches Health Partnership

Underdog is adding a specialized treatment resource to its responsible play offerings through a new partnership with Birches Health, a national provider focused on gambling disorder treatment. The collaboration will give users access to educational material and confidential care pathways as the sports prediction market and fantasy sports company expands its consumer protection measures.

The new resources will be incorporated into Underdog’s Responsible Play hub within its app. Birches Health provides evidence-based treatment through licensed clinicians who have been trained in gambling-specific care through the IPGGC (International Problem Gambling & Gaming Certification Organization), which is described as the international gold standard for gambling and gaming counseling. Users will be able to access both responsible gaming education and streamlined pathways to specialized care through the partnership.

“This is a meaningful development in progressing how we address player well-being and protection for those utilizing our platform,” said Frank Vaccaro, Senior Manager, Responsible Gaming Operations at Underdog. “By partnering with Birches Health, our players will have access to a direct line to specialized, confidential care from real clinicians if they need it.”

For Birches Health, the agreement provides a way to extend specialized education and treatment access to Underdog users. “Access to specialized education and streamlined, insurance-covered care pathways is crucial for player engagement," said Elliott Rapaport, Founder & CEO of Birches Health. "We are excited to support Underdog in scaling robust consumer protections across their products."

The partnership adds to a range of responsible play measures already offered by Underdog. Its products include a dedicated Responsible Play hub where users can access deposit and spending limits, cooling-off periods and self-exclusion options, as well as educational resources and support. With Birches Health now providing a direct care pathway, Underdog will have an additional resource for users seeking assistance beyond the platform’s existing tools and information.