Gambling Addiction Plagues Thousands in Valley

Agency: Gambling Addiction Plagues Thousands in Valley



This is part 3 of a three-part series:

Placing a bet is risky business and for some, the temptation is too much and they go too far.

"We estimate probably in Northeast Ohio, there's maybe 15,000 to 20,000 people who have a gambling problem in some way, shape or form," said Lynn Burkey, an addictions counselor.

Burkey works with about 15 clients at a time at Meridian Community Care. He said gambling addiction often goes under the radar until it's almost too late.

"A lot of the spouses have said, you know, I didn't know we were in any financial trouble until we got a foreclosure notice on our house," Burkey said.

The numbers are staggering.

"The average debt is a couple hundred thousand dollars right now. Maybe eight to 10 credit cards run to the limit," Burkey said. "It becomes an obsession of the mind and it becomes your main focus."

Some of the warning signs of gambling addiction are gambling with increasing amounts of money in order to feel excitement, gambling as a way to escape problems or relieve guilt, anxiety or depression, lying to loved ones about the extent of gambling and relying on others to provide money to alleviate a desperate financial situation caused by gambling.

Burkey said often, an addict's family will seek help first.

Treatment involves multiple steps. The first is taking away access to money. A recovery program follows and family members are strongly encouraged to enlist into the program too.

"You've got a 70 to 80 percent chance that you'll be successful in the long term. Can't say forever, because forever is a long time," Burkey said.

While critics of casinos said it isn't enough, recently passed legislation requires 2 percent of the tax on casinos' gross revenue to go into the State Problem Casino Gambling and Addictions Fund. The state's Casino Commission even has a ban list, which individuals can volunteer to sign up for.

Burkey said gambling addiction left untreated can be costly to governments because of increased foreclosures, divorces and even domestic violence issues. It also can be deadly.


"There's a very high rate of suicide with gamblers. In fact, they've looked and where casinos have come in, the suicide rate around the casino areas have doubled," he said.


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