Cost of gambling outweighs its benefits

Cost of gambling outweighs its benefits
Jim Anderson Stivers

Our General Assembly will be considering expanded gambling in Kentucky for the one millionth time. (Seems like.) Expanded gambling is not a good idea. It creates bankruptcy, broken homes and citizens who become mentally ill “gambling addicts.”

For every single gambling addict, bankruptcy and problems associated with gambling addiction impact 20 additional people, including courts, lawyers. Family members and children suffer the most leading to divorce, illness and dependency on the welfare system to carry addicts that are mentally ill. The addicts eventually, once they admit, need psychological counseling to recover and control the addiction.

National surveys suggest 3 percent of the public are problem gamblers and later addictive gamblers. State-sponsored gambling is a poison no state should participate in by legalizing more gambling. It is punitive to the poorer, lower-educated public. A public that is blindsided by an illness the state approved for public use. After becoming addicted, abandoned by not offering enough mental health treatment paid for by the state.

In Kentucky, public records show there are around 27,000 addicted gamblers. When you consider the national 3 percent addiction rate, it becomes a big number.

Kentucky has approximately 4 million residents. Let’s say half of the population is considered as a base figure for the demographics. Figuring 2 million citizens times 3 percent means within five years 60,000 Kentucky citizens have been presented with a product by the state that creates, on the conservative level, 60,000 more gambling addicts. Add that to the 27,000 gambling addicts we already have and that figure becomes a great concern.

Kentucky with 60,000 gamblers being added now has over 80,000 addicted gamblers. Even more are being impacted than before and the state has no additional money for mental health treatment of gambling addicts.

If you have been around a chronic gambler you can spot signs that something is wrong. They won’t quit because it is hard for them to do so due to the fact they have come to the stage of addiction. Gambling addiction has been the source for many breakups between couples. The problem of gambling is like any other condition similar to drug addiction, alcoholism and other addictions. It is hard on families who feel the pain and are at a loss how they can help their loved one.

Most people were only prone to gambling if they lived near the environment. Casinos were only found in certain demographic areas. Now, gambling is at the fingertips of millions of people. The Internet has become a house for all types of gambling games. It is harder to keep people away from the thrill and excitement of winning money.

Many people find themselves addicted to bingo, card games and anything else where you can win money. That’s how it all starts. People that get addicted typically started off with good luck and actually one a significant prize.

This is the first stage of getting hooked in. It was so easy to win they truly think they can win again. When they do or don’t win, they continue to play to increase their chances. Unfortunately the odds are against them. The number of wins are few, and far between.

Is this the kind of Kentucky we want to leave for our children? How can the commonwealth justify, in the name of revenue needed to help balance the state budget, such an addiction on its citizens? There are two sides to this issue and the negative side (addiction) will seldom be the topic of debate.

Jim Anderson Stivers is a retired project manager for the Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet who’s involved in Americans for Separation of Church and State.