Websites designed
to help people
overcome their
gambling addictions
have recently been
contacted by
television associate
producers and
reporters in an
effort to obtain
information about
individuals who have
been affected by
compulsive gambling
addictions. In most
cases, they are
looking for people
to come forward and
share how their
lives have been
impacted by local
gambling
establishments. In
the majority of
these cases, people
feel fear of
embarrassment from
family and friends
and therefore, are
not willing to
discuss how their
lives were affected.
I was recently
contacted by BET
nightly news. They
asked for help to
locate people who
lived within a
specific geographic
area whose lives
were affected by
gambling. Out of
the five individuals
I found, all refused
to discuss their
situations or allow
someone to interview
them for fear of
recognition.
Through my
website,
www.istoppedgambling.com,
I have been
fortunate enough to
meet people of
different
backgrounds and
learn about their
gambling
addictions. They
have allowed me to
share their stories
with others as long
as I assure them
that their names
will be kept
confidential. I
have shared some of
these situations
with reporters and
associate producers
with the hope that
the message would
reach the
politicians.
One politician I
spoke with said he
was trying to pass a
law that would
prevent people from
using their credit
cards to buy lottery
and scratch tickets
at local convenience
stores. At first I
thought this was a
joke. People who
want lottery tickets
will get them with
or without a credit
card. Lawmakers
need to see the
larger picture.
Most people who live
within sixty miles
or less from
gambling
establishments, are
negatively
impacted.
It’s been about
ten years since the
casinos opened in
the state of
Connecticut. People
are spending more of
their money there
and not at the local
businesses and
shopping malls.
Lawmakers need to
realize that casinos
grow very quickly in
size due to the
amount of money
people lose. The
amount money lost to
gambling could be
have been used to
boost our economy
instead.
The truth is
political leaders
love the revenues
generated by the
casinos. This makes
them look good to
the voters because
they don’t have to
increase taxes. Do
the political
leaders care that
the economy is being
negatively
affected? Based on
my knowledge and
experience in this
area, I predict that
in less than five
years the
devastation caused
by gambling
establishments will
be seen. This can
be prevented if
people are educated
and given the truth
about this private
addiction.
In speaking with
reporters, I have
also asked why they
don’t disclose the
direct relationship
between the amount
of growth a casino
has and the amount
of money people lose
by gambling. They
have no response.
The media enjoys
reporting to
everyone about the
one individual who
wins a million
dollars. The media
fails to mention
that Casinos take in
more than a million
dollars a day from
slot machines alone
at the same time
they report the
million dollar
winner. It’s this
distorted view that
sends people down
the road to self
destruction by
hoping to win big
just once.
The operators at
gambling
establishments are
very greedy people.
In some states,
penny slots were
recently introduced
as a way to attract
seniors and lower
income families.
They believe the
slots allow everyone
to play such as
those on social
security and welfare
and not just the
rich. The truth is
they don’t care
about whom they hurt
or how many lives
are destroyed. The
one thing I have
learned is that all
gambling
establishments do
not discriminate.
If you have money,
they will gladly
take it with a
smile.
Mohegan Sun
Casino in
Uncasville, CT ran a
promotion in which
they mailed out $50
dollar vouchers in
an effort to bring
people into the
casino. In one week
I heard from over
fifteen people who
actually used these
vouchers but lost
anywhere from one
hundred to over a
thousand dollars in
just one visit. The
casinos know how to
draw people in. In
order to avoid
temptation,
compulsive gamblers
have asked to be
removed from the
mailing list.
Unfortunately,
gambling
establishments don’t
care and will still
send you
information, but
just not as often.
During the holiday
season, casinos
mailed out $400 and
$100 dollar vouchers
for people to use at
any of the gift
stores located
inside their
establishment.
Since it’s the
holidays they know
gamblers buy gifts
too, but once they
get the gambler back
into the casino,
they’re hooked once
again. Is it
unfortunate? Or was
this just
manipulation to get
the gambler back?
Based on the
statistics, gambling
addiction is on the
rise and the economy
is in trouble. Is
there a relationship
between the current
economy and gambling
establishments?
When will the
politicians step up
and help these
people? It’s up to
the people to take a
stand and hopefully
the political
leaders will step up
and help these
people out.
I have an
extensive background
in dealing with
compulsive gamblers,
friends and family
of gamblers and
teenage gamblers. I
believe there are
many alternatives to
aid in the recovery
of a gambling
addiction. A large
percentage of emails
I receive are from
compulsive gamblers
looking for
alternatives to
Gamblers Anonymous
and twelve step
programs. Programs
such as these help a
number of people
each year but there
is a larger
percentage that
needs an
alternative. These
are people that I am
trying to reach.
It is my goal to
educate compulsive
gamblers with
options to help them
beat their
addiction.
