The National Council on Problem Gambling is an independent organization not funded by the gaming industry. It reports:1
- 85% of U.S. adults have gambled at least once in their lifetimes (60% in any given year).
- About 1% are pathological gamblers (clearly addicted). Problem gamblers account for another 2 to 3%.
- Legal gambling is available in 48 states; Hawaii and Utah are the only exceptions.
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Access correlates with problem gambling
The availability of gambling opportunities is related to the number of problem gamblers and the age at which people start gambling. Nevada, a state where gaming is freely available, reports higher figures2:
- 6% of Nevada adults may be problem or pathological gamblers (twice the national rate).
- 2% of adolescents may be problem gamblers.
- 10% of Nevada’s youth are considered ‘at risk’ to develop a gambling problem.
Younger problem gamblers
Of particular concern is the rise in teen and college aged gambling. Family First Aid3 reports an increase in gambling of 600% in this age group between 2001 and 2005. The reasons cited are the spread of legalized casino gambling and Internet gambling. Young people are often drawn to the video game style of Internet gaming sites and seem comfortable playing (and paying) online.
The American Gaming Association publishes revenue figures on legal gambling.4 In 2007, the total spent was over $92 Billion. The top gambling venues were:
- Casinos (commercial and Native American): 60.43 Billion
- State Lotteries: 24.78 Billion
- Charitable games and bingo: 2.2 Billion
- Card rooms: 1.18 Billion
Problem gambling and suicide
One of the scariest statistics is reported by the Oklahoma Association for Gambling Addiction Awareness: “A survey of Gamblers Anonymous members in the United States found that 48 percent had considered suicide and 13 percent had attempted it.”5
photo by Mary Helen McNally
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