State should take action to fight gambling addiction

Featured letter: State should take action to fight gambling addiction

This artwork by Mark Weber relates to online gambling. / Mark Weber

I am a compulsive gambler and have abstained from gambling for over 47 years. This addiction is an insidious disease, and many people are in denial of what serious destruction it can lead to. Slowly but surely, gambling is infiltrating our society and being detrimental to us and our children.

I have been fighting the governors and politicians for 15 years to reach out and help warn the people about this addiction, and nothing has been done about it. I am not against gambling — some people can gamble socially and some become compulsive, not knowing the destruction it can cause — but the state keeps promoting gambling.

We will never stop gambling because the state makes billions of dollars every year from it. Nothing is being done to combat this addiction with the money the state is making from gambling. From my own experience and from speaking to hundreds of people, the pain and suffering gambling can cause ranges from bankruptcy, embezzlement, prison, home foreclosure and suicide.

Now the state has approved Internet gambling. This will lead to millions more people gambling at home. It provides easy access for adults and children to gamble, and it can cause them to become addicted.

It’s a shame that our government has to push gambling, disregarding the destruction it can cause to families. The state wants to help compulsive gamblers, so they should put up billboards warning of the dangers, as with drugs and alcohol. Also, those who abuse drugs and alcohol have treatment centers that are covered by insurance, but compulsive gamblers do not have that.

Dominick Magliaro
Toms River


http://www.app.com/article/20140409/NJOPINION02/304090019/State-should-take-action-fight-gambling-addiction?nclick_check=1