Super Bowl Offers Dangers for Problem Gamblers

Super Bowl Offers Dangers for Problem Gamblers
Millions of Americans will place bets on the Super Bowl this year.
What appears to be a harmless diversion can push problem gamblers over the edge and entice others into gambling addictions.

By Dan Wiessner

Heading into Super Bowl Sunday, you may have a few bucks riding on either the Steelers or the Packers to take home the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Millions of Americans take part in a range of Super Bowl bets, from $5 "box pools" to big-time Vegas bookmaking.

But what amounts to a fun wager among friends or coworkers can mean big trouble for people battling gambling problems, and can lead others into a gambling addiction.

"There are estimates that gambling on this year’s Super Bowl may be as high as $8 billion, making it the most heavily-wagered single event of the year,” said Ed Rodriguez, who runs the Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) Problem Gamblers’ Recovery Program.

“Unfortunately, many of those bets will be placed by people who can’t control their betting and can ill afford to lose their money."

According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, gamblers wagered $82.7 million on last year's Super Bowl—but that accounts only for legitimate Vegas bets, which some experts estimate account for just 1 percent of all wagers on the big game.

Gamblers don't just bet on which team will win or what the spread—the gap between the teams' scores—will be; so-called "proposition bets" cover everything from who will win the coin toss to what song the Black Eyed Peas will play during the halftime show.

According to Jim Maney, the head of the New York Council on Problem Gambling, this smorgasbord of betting can push compulsive gamblers over the edge or lure new gamblers into a downward spiral.

"More people will be gambling, more people who haven't gambled before will be gambling, and those people who have gambled a little will be gambling more," Maney said.

"Imagine this in terms of alcohol; suddenly, on one day, we have tremendously more people drinking and people who already drink are drinking a lot more; we know there are going to be problems."

Compulsive gambling can lead not only to financial problems, but can put strains on marriages and other relationships, drive people to drugs and alcohol, and leads to suicide in a startling number of cases.

According to the Washington-based Center for Counseling and Health Resources, the suicide rate for the estimated 15 million Americans who display some level of gambling addiction is 20 times higher than that of the general population. The group also reports that the divorce rate among compulsive gamblers is almost twice the national rate, and 65 percent of gambling addicts commit crimes to support their habits.

Despite the potential for trouble, the National Football League does not conduct any outreach or take steps to steer problem gamblers to treatment.

"We recognize that there is gambling on sports, including the Super Bowl. There are services that can help people and we encourage those with issues to take advantage of them," said NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy.

Maney said that sports commentators and the general public lend to a "normalization" of betting—especially on high-profile events such as the Super Bowl—that obscures problem gambling.

"If you watch sports programs or read the newspaper, there's constant talk about the spread, and the favorite and the underdog become part of the discussion; those norms are a big part of people saying that it's okay to gamble," he said.

"Super Bowl Sunday is just another example where we don't have a counter-message warning people" of the potential problems, he added.

Even a pool that requires a small bet can lead to problems for some, Rodriguez said, as the thrill of winning a pot of money can cause the same sensations as first-time drug use.

"What might be thought of as a harmless recreational diversion can quickly escalate into an addiction," he said. "The high of a win can leave a person craving more, betting more and, in most instances, losing more."

The program that Rodriguez runs at the White Plains-based WJCS offers comprehensive treatment programs, including individual and group counseling, and offers referrals to other treatment. Gamblers Anonymous, or GamAnon, is one of the largest counseling groups for compulsive gamblers. There are a slew of GamAnon meetings in the Hudson Valley each week, including sessions in White Plains, New Rochelle, Yonkers, Ardsley and Pomona.