Nemeth's death exposes gambling addiction

Nemeth's death exposes gambling addiction
By Ashley Martin, Leader-Post


Joe Nemeth had racked up about $21,000 in cash advances. He couldn't pay July's rent, had long ago sold his house and vehicles, and had lost 'a lot' of money at Casino Regina on the weekend.

Come Monday morning, July 4, 77-year-old Nemeth was found floating in Wascana Lake, the focal point of the park he so loved.

"I'm thinking he was just thinking it was the end of it all, and 'how do I get out of this?' And of course the easy way out ...," said Mary Marton, who wants her father's death to serve as a wakeup call to problem gamblers.

Nemeth's gambling problem came as a surprise to Marton, who lives in Calgary.

"I kind of suspected because he was phoning saying he didn't have money for this and didn't have money for that, and then after he passed away people started coming up to me saying, 'Oh geez, I lent Joe money and he never paid me back,'" she said.

Marton said Nemeth was kind and considerate to everyone he knew.

"He had lots of friends. He was always going for coffee and stuff. He hung out with a lot of people. Even on July 1, he was at the park for Canada Day. ... He used to walk that park every day, whether it was minus 30 or plus 30," said Marton.

Nemeth was in good shape - he had beaten cancer and had a healthy heart.

"I'm just wondering if he would have talked about it, maybe it would have helped him, but then at that age group (people think) it's embarrassing," said Marton.

Ken Akan, Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region addictions treatment program manager, said gambling spans all age groups, and about 85 per cent of Saskatchewanians gamble.

Akan cites "excitement, the adrenalin rush, the escape, and boredom" as reasons for gambling; the latter two are common among seniors and retired people.

SaskGaming's Jan Carter said Casinos Regina and Moose Jaw promote responsible gaming and train their workers to recognize problem gambling tendencies.

"Somebody who looks very stressed, who's constantly going to the instant teller, who's hitting the machine or pacing" might be an addict, said Carter.

Identifying a gambling problem is tricky, said Akan, because there are no physical symptoms like in alcohol or drug addictions.

"You can't OD from gambling, so there's no physical effects, there's no visual effects," he said.

Akan said some tells are utility disconnection notices, phone calls from creditors, being discrete about whereabouts and missing important family events.

Unlike substance addicts, gamblers often seek help, as "their gambling behaviour is creating crisis in their life and usually it's financial crisis," said Akan.