America’s Growing Gambling Problem

America’s Growing Gambling Problem

Gambling could easily be considered one of Americaís most prominent entertainment activities. Despite having so many heavy legal restrictions in place, the availability and participation in gambling has been seen an undeniable upsurge in recent years. The internet has enabled both the poker and fantasy football crazes of the last decade. It also makes it possible to play slot and casino games much more easily.

Gamblers may have a problem without spiraling completely out of control but problem gamblers, on the other hand, engage in behaviour that undeniably disrupts their life. The first, and biggest step is simply realizing that one has a problem.

The thing that sets gambling addictions apart from drug addictions is that they have more to do with a lack of impulse control rather than a substance based disorder. Indeed, the Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) observed the rising issue of problem gambling in the USA, identifying problem gambling as much more common than alcohol dependence. Throughout the last decade, over 80% of Americans gamble each year and at least 5% of those develop a serious gambling problem. In fact, around 750,000 of U.S. youth between the ages of 14 and 21 struggle with problem gambling.

Based on the study by the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, the risk of developing a gambling addiction doubles for youths in college settings. Moreover, statistics have shown a link between serious gambling addictions and the probability of engaging in criminal activity. At least 50% of individuals struggling with gambling problems go on to commit crimes to sustain their addiction.

Interestingly, more and more people contacting helplines or seeking treatment have cited EGMs (Electronic Gaming Machines) as their main form of gambling, on an international level. Incidentally, EGMs also happen to be the method most likely to lead to problem gambling over other any other form of gambling.

Understanding the impact of problem gambling

There are countless ways in which gambling problems could harm an individual and their family. Financially speaking, once problem gambling begins to dip into the family’s savings, their belongings and their property are also at risk of being lost simply to support the individual's addiction. This, in turn, could bring about strong feelings of animosity between family members, leading to the emotional turmoil and shame that only worsens the situation. The problem is a lot more difficult to resolve when the individual is completely isolated and is missing the support they desperately need.

It is no surprise, then, that families under such pressure struggle to cope, particularly when children are involved. The child may begin to feel forgotten, angry, and depressed, thinking that they are the root of the problem. Family violence could also arise in light of gambling problems, in the form of physical or emotional abuse towards the partner or their children.

Furthermore, problem gambling has its impact on an even deeper level. The psychiatric co-morbidities involved could include anxiety, depression and potentially any sort of substance dependence. Regrettably, treatment for problem gambling seems to be far less successful than substance abuse treatments, mostly due to the lack of pharmacological treatment to prevent relapses that is available for drug addicts and alcoholics. Without any suitable pharmacological treatment, there is no way to prevent an individual from gambling at online casinos. SaferGaming.com, a new NGO, has been founded to raise more awareness around these issues and therefore, help sufferers.

The main goal of treatment is to get rid of the overpowering craving of wanting to be in a state of gambling trance, ultimately helping the addict regain control over their own emotions and actions to a level of stability.

http://news.mywebpal.com/news/americais-growing-gambling-problem/

College Gambling Facts and Statistics What are the odds: 

 Of a college player becoming a pro football player: 3,000 to 1 

 Of being struck by lightning: 280,000 to 1 

 Of winning a Powerball jackpot: 140,000,000 to 1 

College students and gambling 

 Youth rates of being at-risk for problem gambling are 2 to 3 times higher than adult rates. 

 Nearly all U.S. colleges and universities have policies on student alcohol use; however, only 22 % have a formal policy on gambling. 

 Researchers estimate that 75% of college students gambled during the past year, whether legally or illegally. 

 Approximately 6% of college students in the U.S have a serious gambling problem. 

 The most frequently chosen gambling activity for college students is the lottery at 41%, followed by card games at 38%, and sports betting at 23%. Sports Betting on College Campuses 

 About 67% of all college students bet on sports. 

 Nearly 30% of male athletes bet on sports. The report stated that 26% of these athletes started gambling prior to high school, and 66% began in high school. 

 Athletes are at high risk for sports gambling because of their competitive personalities, need for action and excitement, perception of social norms, and sense of entitlement. A perfect storm 

 Age: 

 College years associated with a wide range of at risk behaviors 

 Availability: 

 First generation to be exposed to wide-scale legal gambling. Technological advances make placing bets easier than ever 

 Acceptability: 

 Operated by governments, commonly endorsed by schools, integrated into mainstream culture 

 Advertising/Media: 

 More than ever. Promoted as sport, glamorized, winning bias 

 Access to cash: 

 The average college student receives about 25 credit card solicitations per semester (National Public Radio) Compared to their non-gambling counterparts, students who had gambled in the past year had higher rates of: 

 Binge drinking 

 Marijuana use 

 Cigarette use 

 Illicit drug use 

 Unsafe sex after drinking 

Signs & Symptoms of a Compulsive Gambler 

 Preoccupation with thoughts about gambling 

 Asking for larger amounts of money or gambling more frequently 

 Personality changes, such as irritability, restlessness, and withdrawal 

 Alienation from family and friends 

 Inability to cut back or stop gambling 

 Lying to friends and family about how much you gamble 

 Borrowing to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by your gambling 

 Thinking about or committing an illegal act to finance your gambling 

 Suicidal thoughts 

References 

National Council on Problem Gambling, National Council on Responsible Gaming REAP ( Risk Education for Athletes Program), andCollegeGambling.org 

Barnes, G. M., Welte, J. W., Hoffman, J. H., & Tidwell, M. C. (2010). Comparisons of gambling and alcohol use among college students and noncollege young people in the United States. Journal of American College Health, 58(5), 443-452. 

Huang, J. H., Jacobs, D. F., Derevensky, J. L., Gupta, R., & Paskus, T. S. (2007). A national study on gambling among US college student-athletes. Journal of American College Health, 56(2), 93-99. 

LaBrie, R. A., Shaffer, H. J., LaPlante, D. A., & Wechsler, H. (2003). Correlates of college student gambling in the United States. Journal of American College Health, 52(2), 53-62. 

National Collegiate Athletics Association. Don’t Bet on It. Retrieved January 17, 2011, from www.dontbetonit.org 

Nelson, T. F., LaBrie, R. A., LaPlante, D. A., Stanton, M., Shaffer, H. J., & Wechsler, H. (2007). Sports betting and other gambling in athletes, fans, and other college students. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 78(4), 271-283. 

Shaffer, H. J., Donato, A. N., LaBrie, R. A., Kidman, R. C., & LaPlante, D. A. (2005). The epidemiology of college alcohol and gambling policies. Harm Reduction Journal, 2(1), 1. 

Weinstock, J., Whelan, J. P., Meyers, A. W., & Watson, J. M. (2007). Gambling behavior of student-athletes and a student cohort: what are the odds? Journal of Gambling Studies, 23(1), 13-24.

http://uncw.edu/crossroads/documents/NPGAWcollegefactsheet.pdf

Promoting Gambling Addiction Coming to a College Near You

27 June 2013
Gambling on a job as Middlesbrough College trains casino croupiers

Getting up late and playing games for a living may sound like the ideal job. Now the art of the casino croupier is being taught on Teesside.

Middlesbrough College is training students to work in the industry, dealing blackjack and spotting problem gamblers.

It says it is only the fourth college in the country to offer a specific qualification in Gambling Operations.

Middlesbrough College is training its first crop of casino croupiers

 

Martin Smith, 44 and unemployed, said he had "nothing to lose" in doing the course.

"In this area some people might think it's not a great thing that gambling is thriving but, in my opinion, I'm happy with it."

An additional benefit, he said, was the course helped him understand the rules and the odds, leaving him more confident at the gaming table.

"What I really enjoyed was the maths, being able to think, use my brain for a change," he said..
"I can now appreciate what a dealer actually does. I think it's an art form."

'Body armour' With a licence already granted by Middlesbrough Council for a large casino in the town, many people are putting their stake on a job in the gaming industry.

Andrew Cummings, 30, has been driving HGVs after leaving the army six years ago.
The work environment of a casino, "the interaction with customers", appeals.

Continue reading the main story

I never have to get up before midday and I play games for money.”

Stephen Andrews Course tutor

Although more sociable than solo driving, he knows it will be very different from being in the Army.

"I'll not be having to be putting my body armour on in a casino, for sure," he said.
A lot of his friends, more used to being on the other side of the gaming table, are "envious".
The college is aware of the potential for being accused of supporting an industry criticised for harming the susceptible.
Director of Programmes Lynne Alderson stressed the intention was to get people into work.
"We were approached by a national gaming organisation who told us the turnover of staff in this area of work was relatively high.

"We were also aware there was to be a new casino, or something similar, to be opened in the Middlesbrough area.

"We felt it was our duty, really, to try and prepare people with the skills to get that job."
'Play games'
Course tutor Stephen Andrews, who has two decades experience of working in casinos, thinks it is a good industry to work in.

"I went into it for a short term job and I ended up in it for 24 years.

Andrew Cummings said many of his former army colleagues were "envious"

"I was once asked what I liked about my job and I said I never have to get up before midday and I play games for money."

But he doesn't only teach students how to deal roulette and blackjack.

Health and safety, identifying problem gamblers, protecting children and customer service are all covered in the NVQ Level Two Gambling Operations course.

Despite the recession, the latest Gambling Commission data shows the industry made - after paying winnings but before costs - £5.8bn in 2011/12, up year-on-year since 2009.

Betting accounts for over half of that (52%) with casinos a distant second (15%).

In Middlesbrough, there are 43 betting shops, one casino and one hotel licensed but not yet trading.

There is also a "large" casino planned for the town, one of 16 approved by the government when the Gambling Act 2005 came into force in 2007.

The Salvation Army, which "sees the consequences of gambling addictions", warned vulnerable people can "get caught into a highly destructive trap".

Divisional Commander Darrell Thomas said: "We would ask that anybody considering a career in the gambling industry, and those seeking to train people interested in doing so, exercise responsibility."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-23062510

Casino a bad fit for students

AS I SEE IT

By Francesco Cesareo

 

Worcester is a smart city. It is home to nine world-class colleges and universities, and thousands of students who have chosen the city for its quality institutions of higher learning; cultural, entertainment, restaurant, and sporting venues, as well as for the proximity to some of the world’s most innovative companies. As consumers and energetic employees, students fuel the engine of this great city’s economy.

Worcester is no place, however, for a casino. We know from studies that a predictable percentage of a population with easy access to a casino will develop gambling addictions.

It is a fact that young adults are particularly vulnerable to these risks. Gambling creates additional social problems, including an increase in suicide, child and spousal abuse, and personal bankruptcy. We are also aware that other casino sites nationally have attracted alcohol problems, drugs, prostitution, and other crimes.

These threats should not be knowingly located in such close proximity to 30,000 students. Being 18 to 21 years old, these students are still in their formative years. This makes the location of a casino in a college town such as Worcester even more troubling since young adults can potentially develop habits that will be detrimental to their lives, not to mention to their academic careers. Poor choices could have negative, lifelong consequences.

We believe that this issue is of critical importance to the safety as well as the continued growth and development of Worcester and its college community. The health and well-being of our students — and of all of the city’s students — is in the best interest of the long-range plans for this wonderful community. It should also be pointed out that prospective students and their families will decide against attending one of Worcester’s colleges and universities, because parents — who are naturally concerned for the well-being of their children — do not want their children living in close proximity to a casino.

It is doubtful that the so-called economic benefits to siting a casino in Worcester will outweigh the negative long-term consequences.

Casino gambling may create an increase in revenue for Worcester, but I would argue that people who come to Worcester to gamble will basically be shifting their money from one place to another. Instead of a person spending their hard-earned money in a store, restaurant, sporting event, or shows at The Hanover Theatre for Performing Arts and DCU Center in downtown Worcester, that money would be spent on slots and card games within the casino walls. So while the casino would thrive, our other commercial venues would decline.

As president of one of Worcester’s nine colleges and universities, Assumption College, I am extremely supportive of economic development in the city. Worcester needs new housing and commercial development, especially in downtown. Projects such as CitySquare and those being led by our fellow higher education institutions are good for the city and the region.

In the end, a robust economy and vibrant city attract students to our campuses and will hopefully lead them to live in and engage with the community after they graduate. Contribution and service to community is a notion Assumption firmly believes in and supports. After all, part of our college mission is to light the way for the next generation of innovative and creative thinkers and ethical leaders.

The economic and social threats posed to our college community and to the city as a whole are not worth the risk of landing a casino here. Not only would a casino in Worcester be counterproductive to its quest for rejuvenation and redevelopment, it would also be a sociologically negative impact that we, as a city on the verge of renaissance, cannot afford.

Francesco Cesareo, Ph.D., is president of Assumption College in Worcester.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20130410/NEWS/104109943/1020

Ignoring a pattern.....

Bill Kearney

Massachusetts ‘Gaming’ Future

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE - December 15, 2012 - More college students hooked on gambling

PITTSBURGH -- Just weeks before Christmas 2005, Greg Hogan Jr. -- president of his college class, gifted cello player and son of a respected minister -- slipped a note to a terrified Lehigh County bank teller warning that he had a gun and demanding all her money.
...

Later that day police slapped handcuffs on him as he was about to perform with his college orchestra.

For Hogan, it was the end of a tortured journey from friendly dorm room poker games with buddies to the life of a compulsive gambler so addicted to online gambling that he sometimes spent more than 12 hours a day at his computer placing wagers.

Read more: http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012312159948

See More

 

 

About 6 percent of college students in the United States have serious gambling problems, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. It's a number experts say is growing as more opportunities become available to gamble.

Nationally, about 75 percent of college students gambled last year and 18 percent admitted they did so at least weekly, according to the council's partner, CollegeGambling.org.

The most popular gambling activity with students was playing the lottery (41 percent), followed by card games (38 percent) and sports betting (23 percent).

Dr. John Massella, who runs a California University of Pennsylvania addiction program called Cal Clean and Sober, said the temptation is heightened in areas where casino gambling is readily available.

Patrons at the state's 11 casinos must be 21, but anyone 18 and older can play the lottery.

In Pennsylvania, "there's a lot of gambling; there's no shortage of it," said Dan Romer, director of health communication at the University of Pennsylvania.

The freedom that comes with being away from home and the need to fit in with peers often leads students to dabble in gambling, Romer said.

College officials are increasing their efforts to deal with problem gambling. Massella started a group at his school for students battling the addiction.

Butler County's Human Services Drug and Alcohol branch partnered with Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania to assess the status of gambling on the campus, which is an easy drive from casinos in Erie and Pittsburgh. They will identify where problems exist and develop resources for students.

Perverting the Holidays

From: Bill Kearney

Massachusetts 'Gaming' Future

After reading this article I guess you could say that the Christmas tradition also has similarities with casino gambling. Things like bearing gifts, (casino comps) and the light, whistles and bells that we see on slot machines and Christmas trees. Gambling is a ‘VICE’ that has been around forever. The New Testament gospels describe soldiers gambling for the robes of Jesus at the Crucifixion. But with that said and now that casino gambling is in our backyards do we need to educate and condone our children to casino gamble.

Pittsburgh Post - December 8, 2012 - Hanukkah at Pitt is a spin on tradition - Dreidels not the only things spinning at Hillel holiday party

On the verge of finals week, college students took a break from studying to gamble, indulge in free drinks and dance in the light of a disco ball -- all in the name of Hanukkah.

But what do a casino night and a disco dance at an annual party at the Hillel Jewish University Center have to do with Hanukkah? More than you might think, said Annie Lascoe, the center's director of Jewish Student Life at the University of Pittsburgh.

The spinning dreidel that most people now consider a Hanukkah-related toy was historically used like dice to play a gambling game.

And the lighted disco ball is a reminder "of the importance of light in the Hanukkah story," she said.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/holiday/dreidels-not-the-only-things-spinning-at-hillel-holiday-party-665411/#ixzz2ESmmrgDk See More

But above all, students' donations -- each $5 offering earned a player $10,000 in fake money for Thursday's casino night -- will go directly to victims of Hurricane Sandy. The money will be sent to the Hurricane Sandy Response Fund of Bend The Arc, a Newark, N.J.-based charity that aids disaster victims in low-income neighborhoods.

"So this is providing light and power, which was the miracle of Hanukkah," she said. "It really ties into other Jewish values, including tzedakah, or charity, and greater global awareness."

Hanukkah commemorates a miracle that is said to have happened around 165 BC, when Judea was ruled by a foreign dynasty whose king was obsessed with promoting the Greek culture and religion. Antiochus IV outlawed central Jewish practices including circumcision and observance of the Sabbath, torturing and killing those who disobeyed him. He built an altar to Zeus in the Jerusalem temple and sacrificed a pig there. He was driven out by a Jewish guerrilla army, whose leaders immediately sought to purify the desecrated temple. This required the temple's seven-branched lampstand to burn perpetually, but the priests found only enough olive oil for one day. Nevertheless they lit it and the oil mysteriously burned for eight days, allowing them to obtain a new supply.

That miracle is celebrated for eight nights, starting this year at sundown tonight and ending at sundown Dec. 16. The timing of the holiday is far from ideal for Pitt students, whose finals week begins Monday and concludes next Saturday.

Michael Fingerman, a 19-year-old who will lead Pitt's student board at Hillel next year, said his last final is Dec. 15 and he will spend one day of Hanukkah with his family. The party is one of many ways the center allows him to celebrate the traditions he knew growing up.

"We want to give everyone that feeling of a second home," he said.

Hanukkah's central religious symbol is a nine-branched candelabra or menorah, with the central candle used to light others for each night of the holiday. But it also includes the dreidel game and foods made with oil, especially latkes.

Mr. Fingerman said 1,500 of the greasy potato pancake treats, which were served warm with sour cream and apple sauce, were made for the celebration. Vibrant paper menorahs, dreidels and Jewish stars hung from the ceiling and small menorahs adorned the room.

Ms. Lascoe got the idea for the party at her alma mater of Washington University in St. Louis, where the Hanukkah party was revamped as a casino night to benefit a charity that subsidized heat and light for low-income people in St. Louis.

In Pittsburgh, Hillel's Hanukkah party has long been one of its most popular events, drawing at least 200 students, Ms. Lascoe said. But there was positive response to the idea of transforming it.

Jewish groups in Pittsburgh have been focusing on helping college seniors and graduate students make the jump from student activities to Jewish life as a young professional. As a bridge-builder for students who are 21-and-up, the Hanukkah party started with a happy hour at 7 p.m.

Lindsay Lehrman, 21, of Cherry Hill, N.J., has attended the party for several years. She said the ability to celebrate with a drink and partake in more age-appropriate activities at the center gave her a better incentive to return.

"They don't do this kind of thing in Hillel," she said grinning. "I was not going to pass away an opportunity to drink here."

When happy hour ended at 8 p.m., the first floor became the venue for a latke-making party and the "dreidel disco" lit up on the third floor.

The games began at 8:30 p.m., with professional dealers who discounted their services to help Sandy victims, Ms. Lascoe said. But it was set up to keep the stakes low.

"It's more like they're gambling with play money," she said. "We're not looking for it to get out of control or to encourage any latent gambling tendencies."

For some students, the fundraiser hit closer to home than they had ever anticipated.

Mr. Fingerman grew up in Long Island and was there when Sandy flooded the city. His family was without power for a few days and had no heat for two weeks.

"You're used to seeing groups going to New Orleans, or other places that suffer disasters," Mr. Fingerman said. "Now it's weird to see people going where I'm from."


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/holiday/dreidels-not-the-only-things-spinning-at-hillel-holiday-party-665411/#ixzz2EW3Z0IsA

Internet Gambling a new way to fund the state budget !

Internet Gambling a new way to fund the state budget !
Lake Worth, FL Thursday, April 05, 2012

Arnie Wexler one of the foremost experts on gambling addiction and a recovering gambler who placed his last bet on 4/10/68

Would like to share his thought on inter net gambling

The younger a person starts gambling the greater the risk of becoming addicted to Gambling.

Arnie Wexler, said legalizing inter net gambling would create more addicts, especially among minors, without providing sufficient resources for their treatment.

"A lot of these young kids that know the computer inside out are going to find a way to start gambling," Wexler said. "How are they going to prevent (underage gambling)?

"The biggest problem I have with Internet gambling is how do you stop kids," Arnie Wexler said. "The Internet is the quickest, fastest way to addiction."

How are you going to control the 16-year-old kid from placing a bet?"

""I get calls from parents and kids,on my help line 888 LAST BET some as young as 14, every week.This internet gambling / poker has exploded. I've never seen anything explode like this has in the last few years

Gambling addiction is an impulse addiction people will get up in the middle of the night and don't even have to take off their pajamas (to gamble online). They can stay in bed and destroy themselves."

Its easier today to place a bet on a college campus or

on the inter net than it is to buy a pack of cigarettes or a can of beer."

"It's about time the legislators took their head out of the sand and start understanding the problems of compulsive gambling, "When is the state going to stop trying to use gambling to fix all of the government's ills?"

ARNIE WEXLER CCGC

LAKE WORTH FLORIDA

CT: Promoting Government Sponsored Addiction

Online Gambling Broke UConn Poker Addict — Now We Want To Make It Legal?
'I Hope The Legislators Are Prepared For The World They Are Opening Up'

Joe Turbessi couldn't put his laptop down, let alone stop the poker-playing.

So he'd go for hours at a time, hand after hand, wandering around his apartment, emptying his bank account while missing classes, friends, food and sleep as he gambled his way through the University of Connecticut.

The only thing that ran through my mind was the next poker hand,'' Turbessi explained to students in a health class at Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Canaan one day this week, warning them about the danger of gambling and addiction. Turbessi, a 2002 Housatonic graduate, has been making his case against poker for the past few years, writing a book and speaking to college and high school students about his misfortune.

"Poker had my attention and I didn't have time to do anything else," Turbessi told the small health class. "It was so easy. I couldn't miss a hand. If I didn't have the computer on, I could miss my lucky break.''

For reasons explained only by greed or stupidity, dozens of states are lining up to make money off sad cases of people like Turbessi, who up to now have been patronizing off-shore online gambling websites. The rush began after the Justice Department ruled last month that the federal Wire Act of 1961 does not ban non-sports gambling over the Internet, reversing years of federal opposition.

Now, as Connecticut begins debating legalizing online gambling — and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has signaled he's more than ready to consider it — Turbessi's message has taken on new urgency.

Highly addictive and solitary, Internet gambling is suddenly the new money spigot for governments that can't stop spending. Malloy and other Democratic leaders, who frequently tell us about the importance of funding all-day kindergarten and new programs for poor children, appear eager to stick it to the unfortunate to raise more government revenue.

The astonishing justification is that everyone else is going to be doing it, so we had better get on the bandwagon.

How's that for a perverted message to our young people? How about saying no to something that state government should not be foisting upon its citizens anyway?

"What everyone needs to be aware of here is that this is a government program based on pushing people deeper and deeper into personal debt and creating addiction in order to feed off of it,'' said Les Bernal, executive director of Stop Predatory Gambling, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group that opposes government-sponsored gambling.

"This is the equivalent of opening up a casino or lottery retailer in every home, office or dorm room in Connecticut, 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

For Connecticut, it's "an economic issue,'' said Roy Occhiogrosso, a top Malloy aide. "We have to be mindful of what other states are doing. We are competing for jobs. What [the governor] is trying to do is find a middle ground.''

We are far from middle ground here. Already our culture is overwhelmed with gambling, from slots to table games to poker to the false promises peddled by the government-run state lottery.

Adding more gambling because government needs more money to spend — or because we are surrounded by sucker gambling in other states — seems like a flimsy argument for something that will bring more pain, suffering and financial ruin to Connecticut residents. This is not what good government is about, whether it's Democrat or Republican.

"It's more dangerous than any other form of gambling outside of slot machines," said Sam Skolnik, author of the newly published book "High Stakes: The Rising Cost of America's Gambling Addiction." "The types of gamblers who are drawn to Internet gambling are younger gamblers who are more prone to gambling addiction."

Turbessi was a high school quarterback who wanted to be an actuary. He tells audiences that he wanted to find quick success without working hard. Researchers say that thrill-seeking, college-age males are the perfect mark for the predatory online gambling industry. A UConn study of a few years ago found that online players are more likely to develop gambling problems.

The lucky break Turbessi chased around the clock never arrived. At UConn, he pursued poker from online to the Indian casinos, where he perfected his addiction and continued unabated until late 2009 when he quit cold turkey and wrote a self-published book about his experience, "Into the Muck."

The muck is gone, but the stain remains. Turbessi hopes students — and maybe politicians — pay attention to his experience.

"It overwhelmed me. It broke me down,'' he said. "I hope the legislators are prepared for the world they are opening up."

Students alerted for warning signs of addiction

Students urged to be on alert for warning signs of gambling issues


Sarit Mukhopadhyay doesn't gamble, but he said he's surprised at how broad the issue is defined.

"I don't think a lot of people notice that they gamble," said the first-year engineering student as he attended the kts2 display Thursday at the University of New Brunswick.

He said activities such as playing poker online or participating in betting pools are defined as gambling, but he thinks these activities are easy to overlook.

"While I don't think gambling is a big problem at this age, maybe they get into it now and then it develops into a real problem later on," he said.

"If you gamble once or twice, you might not notice or think you have a gambling problem, but then after a while it could develop into a problem."

Representatives from the not-for-profit organization kts2 are talking to students about the myths and realities of gambling as part of the group's 2011-12 campus tour.

Developed by Canada's Responsible Gambling Council, the group will visit 40 campuses across Canada this year and focus on four key messages: the chances of winning and losing; the signs of problem gambling; where to go for help; and how to gamble safely.

The Responsible Gambling Council said 1.3 per cent of New Brunswick's adult population falls into the category of problem gamblers, with the majority saying they started gambling before they turned 19.

Sarah Rothman, UNB's student development co-ordinator, said even though she doesn't see gambling addiction as a problem on campus, the statistics make it important to get as much information as possible out to students.

"We don't have any indication that problem gambling is a real issue on our campus, but we do recognize that this is the age group at which people who develop gambling problems later on tend to start," she said.

"That said, we still have a responsibility to educate our students."

Rothman said she thinks it's important to educate people at a young age about gambling so it will be easier for them to know when they've crossed the line into addictive behaviour.

"I certainly know a number of people, whether they're students or in my own age group, who do participate in betting pools sometimes, basketball pools, buying lottery tickets, you know, poker on Saturday night with a group of friends. Not necessarily in a problematic way, but certainly participating in gambling in some way or another," she said.

"So we want them (students) to know where the line is between a fun, recreational activity and when it becomes an issue."

Danielle Ayee, a kts2 representative who spent Thursday morning handing out surveys to students in Head Hall, said there's no indication in the research to suggest why most people who gamble for money start before they turn 19, but she thinks it has a lot to do with the nature of the age group.

"This age group is made up of greater risk-takers," she said.

"They're away from home for the first time, they're experimenting with different things, (so) gambling just may be one of those things."

Based on the two days she spent at UNB, Ayee said, she thinks students here have a good handle on the signs of gambling problems.

"We don't find that the majority doesn't know about gambling and the signs," she said.

"There were a few exceptions that needed a little more information on how to make their own informed decisions, so we provided signs related to students such as skipping class or work to gamble, borrowing money to gamble or lying about money or time spent gambling.

"But most people do know about the signs."

Addiction: a gambler's hand

Addiction: a gambler's hand
By Brandon Becker

The hand dealt

On May 24 of this year, I stopped gambling. It is a date that I treasure and hold in a higher regard than any other date of the year. It is the day that marks the start of my journey to a new life.

For the last five years of my life, I have gambled almost everyday. My choice of gambling happens to involve something that I love dearly, and that is sports. I first started betting on sports at the age of 17 and became immediately hooked. It quickly replaced poker as my choice of gambling, because it combined two things that I loved: gambling and sports. Throw in the ability to do it over the internet, instantly and impulsively it spells trouble.

My friends had also started to bet on sports, which only increased my desire to gamble due to the social aspect of it. I loved talking with friends about games that night and whom they were betting on. By the time I graduated high school I had developed a gambling problem, but was far from ready to face it.


A lifestyle of self-destruction

Entering my first year of college I was excited like every freshman is. I lived in the dorms my first year and it presented a newfound freedom that I thoroughly enjoyed. But I abused the freedom I had and became lazy with schoolwork. I resorted to gambling to relieve my stresses, and mostly because it took my mind off of my responsibilities. Instead of focusing on a speech that was due or a research paper that I had to write, my focus was on who was playing that night and which team I was going to bet on. Gambling served as an effective tool to help me procrastinate.

Despite my gambling problem, I was able to maintain solid grades over my first two years at UND. Last year, last semester in particularly, is when everything fell apart. My gambling had spiraled out of control. I knew I had a problem but I couldn't stop. I chased the high that I got with placing a bet, the adrenaline that came with a win and a fantasy world where I would make a living off of gambling.

School became less important. Class became optional—I would estimate I missed over 60 percent of my classes this past school year. My bank account was dwindling; the lies I was telling started to pile up and my head felt like it was going to explode. The only relief I found was in the next bet. The desperation I was feeling after each loss grew deeper and deeper. I had jumped in a hole and kept digging. I was living a lifestyle of self-destruction. My worst enemy was the man that I saw in the mirror each and every morning.


The road to recovery

Seeing as things had hit rock bottom I decided to seek help at the UND Counseling Center. At first, my commitment to stopping gambling was genuine, but it proved to be frugal. Even though I failed to stop gambling I continued to see a counselor on a weekly basis. It was here where the groundwork of my recovery was laid, although at the time it didn't feel that way. Eventually, I attended a Gamblers Anonymous meeting in hopes that it would help me abstain from gambling. It didn't. Even though I returned to gambling again I still attended meetings due to relationships that I had formed. It was in Gamblers Anonymous where I became informed of a gambling program called Gambler's Choice in Fargo, which was done through Lutheran Social Services.

I called to try and set up an appointment with the program directors, but was unable to reach them. Instead of leaving an email or a message I chose to continue to gamble. Finally, after the semester had concluded I decided that I couldn't keep on living the way that I was. After seven years of gambling compulsively, I had made an arrangement with Gambler's Choice to start treatment every Tuesday and Thursday night.


A life without gambling

To say all my problems have up and vanished since I've stopped gambling would be a blatant lie. It doesn't quite work like that, but I have now begun the process of

dealing with my problems and responsibilities rather than gamble to avoid them. I have met a lot of great people in recovery and it is because of them that I have abstained from gambling for a little over three months.

My intentions for writing this article are to spread awareness about a problem that has gone greatly underreported on our campus. As a society, it seems that we pay a greater attention to alcohol and drug abuse than to those that suffer from a gambling addiction.

Compulsive gambling is a silent addiction that can be extremely hard to detect, especially with computers and online gambling. For those that are currently battling a gambling problem, I challenge you to go to the UND Counseling Center to get help. It was the first step for me and helped change my direction in life.

Cost to treat Gambling Addiction: $5,800 per individual

Program pays for gambling addiction treatment

By Jan Biles
THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL
Most people consider gambling a source of entertainment and a chance at winning some money.

But for some Kansans, casting dice, playing the lottery or betting on horse races can become an addiction that depletes personal bank accounts, jeopardizes jobs, ruins relationship and increases destructive behaviors, such as criminal activity and suicide.

A 1999 National Prevalence Study revealed about 18,614 Kansans were pathological gamblers. Officials say that number likely has increased as television shows spotlight large winnings at poker tournaments and the number of casinos in the state grows.

"The chemical reaction in the brain when they are in the mode (of gambling) is the same as the chemical reaction in a cocaine addict," said Carol Spiker, coordinator of the Responsible Gambling Program for the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission.

"Gambling isn't necessarily about the money, but (about) an action,” she said. “If it was about the money, they would have quit years ago because the chance of winning money is so small."

Dena Dean, prevention/intervention specialist with Prevention and Recovery Services, said Kansas on Feb. 1 began offering treatment assistance to problem gamblers, their family members and concerned friends through the Kansas Problem Gambling and Addictions Grant Fund.

The assistance program is funded by a percentage of the money generated at Boot Hill Casino and Resort, a state-owned casino in Dodge City. State-owned casinos in Mulvane and at the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., are expected to open in 2012. A portion of their revenues also will go to the program.

Dean said getting assistance begins with a call to the toll-free, confidential 24-hour Kansas Problem Gambling Help Line, (800) 522-4700. Problem gamblers who call the help line are referred to Gamblers Anonymous or a certified gambling counselor near their hometown for an evaluation to see if treatment is needed.

Similarly, family members and concerned friends of the problem gambler who call the help line are referred to Gam Anon or counselors who work with families dealing with addictions.

In both cases, the Kansas Problem Gambling and Addictions Grant Fund pays for the individual’s treatment. Spiker said the cost of gambling addiction treatment averages about $5,800 per individual.

"Historically, there has been no funding for this treatment, and most insurance (companies) won't cover it," she said. "(Treatment) helps them to begin understanding what addiction is and how to rebuild their lives."

Spiker estimates about 50 individuals will have received treatment through the assistance program by June 30, the end of the current fiscal year.

The incidence of problem gambling among youths, college students and military personnel is rising, Spiker said. Surveys indicate about 23 percent of college students report gambling weekly, and about 6.3 percent of military personnel experience at least one gambling-related problem in their lifetime.

Because of the stigma associated with gambling addiction, Spiker said, people are hesitant to seek help.

"We are starting to see more people reach out and hope people will access this new service," she said.

For more information, visit the Kansas Responsible Gambling Alliance website at ksgamblinghelp.com.



PROBLEM GAMBLING? The National Council on Problem Gambling defines problem gambling as "gambling behavior which causes disruptions in any major area of life psychological, physical, social or vocational." Here are some warning signs of problem gambling: Hides gambling losses from family members. Preoccupation with gambling. Borrows money to fund gambling. Talks only about wins, not losses. Withdraws from family and friends. Gambles as a way to escape from problems. Inability to stop or cut back on gambling. If you are concerned that you or someone you know may have a gambling problem, call the toll-free, 24-hour Problem Gambling Help Line at (800) 522-4700.

College students at higher risk of gambling addiction than adults

College students at higher risk of gambling addiction than adults Researchers say gambling can have dangerous financial, psychological consequences By Darin Moriki News Reporter "Mike" loves to play competitive poker and considers it "to be the best game ever." In fact, the 20-year-old Lane Community College student said he gambles several times each month at a local downtown poker hall for three to five hours at a time. "I would like to do it more frequently if I had more money," Mike said. "Sometimes I set a limit, but sometimes I get out of hand and risk more than I should. I think you do have to risk a lot to win a lot. I think that if you play hesitantly, you won't be able to win as much as you want." While Mike is a part of the approximately 75 percent of college students who gambled legally or illegally during the last year — spending their money on casino games, lottery, cards and sports betting — some researchers have warned gambling can develop into a habitual activity with potentially destructive financial and psychological consequences. "While the vast amount of those old enough to legally gamble can do so responsibly, the most recent research estimates that 6 percent of college students in the United States have a serious gambling problem that can result in psychological difficulties, unmanageable debt and failing grades," said Glenn Christenson, chairman of the National Center for Responsible Gambling. "For those who are not of legal age to gamble, there's no level of responsible gambling." The types of gambling that college-aged students commonly engaged in most frequently ranged in order from lottery, card games, small stakes gambling, sports gambling, casino games and Internet gambling, according to a National Center for Responsible Gambling study conducted last year. Despite the sense of enjoyment and fun associated with gambling, Oregon State University Associate Director for Health Promotion Patricia Ketcham said it can quickly turn destructive. "Perception doesn't match reality in all cases because research has shown that, for a segment of college students, gambling for fun can turn into a serious preoccupation that adversely affects their lives," Ketcham said. "Gambling is certainly one of those things where students can find themselves and their chance for academic and student success somewhat impinged." Though colleges nationwide have aggressively responded to other types of addiction issues — including those associated with tobacco and alcohol use by creating intervention programs and enforcing strict policies on substance use — Christenson said 22 percent of colleges have formal policies on gambling. To address this, the National Center for Responsible Gambling recently opened CollegeGambling.org, a website aimed at educators, parents and students to provide awareness on problem gambling but also offers resources for people looking to kick the habit. Though problem gambling rates have remained relatively stable over the past several years, some researchers say there is still a cause for concern. "Six percent is a lot of people, and for those people that have the disorder, it can be quite devastating in terms of psychological problems, debt and their ability to maintain stability in school," said Christine Reilly, the National Center for Responsible Gambling's senior research director. "Even though we may not have had a sharp increase in the problem over the years ... they deserve the same attention that you would give for any risky disorder that may be wreaking havoc in people's lives." In addition, Ketcham said gambling addictions not only have immediate effects, but have long-term effects that can extend to those emotionally close to problem gamblers. "For those 6 percent, they certainly place themselves at risk for incurring a large debt, which not only compromises their ability to stay in school but their ability to maintain some sort of success afterward, even after they leave the school system," Ketcham said. "While 6 percent may seem small to some, for those that are affected, the impact can be quite devastating not only for themselves but those people that are close to them." In a sharp comparison to their younger counterparts, the National Center for Responsible Gambling estimates gambling addictions only affect about 1 percent of the adult population. To account for this disparity, Reilly said many adults mature out of gambling as they grow older. "Young people are at a higher risk for a whole range of risky behaviors, including alcohol, tobacco and drug use," Reilly said. "People at that age are more impulsive and are more apt to take risks, so it has a lot to do with age. Just as people who drink excessively tend to drink less as they get older, you're going to find that kids who gamble excessively are probably, for the most part, mature out of it over time, unless they have a serious problem." Among the many warning signs commonly associated with problem gambling, Reilly said it is important to pay attention to those who need to gamble more frequently to achieve some form of happiness; the need to wager more money in hopes of recouping those losses. Another sign is an increased preoccupation with gambling at the expense of time spent on schoolwork and with family and friends. "For me, I like to take risks and it's a thrill to win money," Mike said. "It's a very satisfying feeling to (be) winning a big hand or a big pot of money." Although Mike doesn't believe that he has a gambling problem, he said the large cash rewards are appealing but also said some concepts learned while playing cards can be applied beyond the poker table. "I think poker can teach you a lot about life, like knowing how to make the right decisions," Mike said.

College Students and Gambling: Into the Muck

UConn graduate faces gambling addiction
By John Sherman

Even state schools can be costly.

Joe Turbessi, a UConn graduate, has been addicted to gambling for three years and he wants everyone to know of the costs he has paid.

Turbessi's self-published "Into the Muck: How Poker Changed My Life" was released last October. The author cites the book as his therapy for overcoming addiction – explaining in detail throughout the book the stages of his addiction, and his struggle to escape it.

Turbessi was candid about where his addiction started.

"At UConn," Turbessi said, "I got taken away [by poker] while I was away from my ‘normal' family life."

"At first, I started with little home games in the dorms, which ranged anywhere between $5 and $20 to play in. All that laid the foundation for my addiction."

Turbessi believes that college students – in any typical college environment - can be particularly vulnerable to gambling, and, possibly, a subsequent addiction.

"I think college students are all trying to find their way and in doing so, they aren't always interested with their general studies and requirements that they are forced to take in their first couple years of college," Turbessi said.

"When my classes weren't captivating my attention, poker was all around me. It was so easy to take part in at any time, especially on campus."

Statistics prove Turbessi right. Research from the Harvard School of Public Health, along with the Annenberg Public Policy Center, shows a 600 percent increase in gambling in post-secondary institutions during a four-year study from 2001 to 2005. More and more college students are turning to gambling every year.

But those statistics do not take into account an additional concern specific to Connecticut students: nearby casinos.

"The casinos are so close in proximity to the campus and it is so easy to end up there at one point or another" said the UConn alum.

Since overcoming his addiction, Turbessi has made it his goal to spread awareness about problem gambling. He has worked with both the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling and the National Council on Problem Gambling by speaking about his personal journey in hopes gamblers will ante up a little more cautiously.

Turbessi is not anti-gambling. He does, however, have many concerns – which he addresses in his book – about the way gambling is portrayed in the media.

"ESPN has been guilty numerous times of building up the poker scene to be larger than life, and making it seem easy to break into," Turbessi said. "I thought that because I was a math major and understood the game, there was no reason why I couldn't be one of those guys who dropped out of school and made poker their life."

ESPN has offered expanded coverage of The World Series of Poker since 2003.

"Into the Muck" has received mostly good press, especially from those who are familiar with problem gambling. The book is a must-read for some, as it has recently become required reading for some college students at UMass - Amherst.

In promotion of his book, and in promotion of his cause, Turbessi will be speaking at Southern Connecticut State University and Eastern Connecticut State University during National Problem Gambling Awareness Week, which will be held from March 6 -11.

Into The Muck

It takes a great deal of courage to step forward and publicly describe the personal path to hell created by gambling addiction.

Although this is short notice for this book signing, the author offers a March 7th event as well.

Author To Sign Book On Gambling Addiction

NEWINGTON — — Newington resident Joe Turbessi will do a book signing for his recently published "Into The Muck: How Poker Changed My Life," at 2 p.m. Saturday [1-29-11] at the Farmington Borders store, 1600 South East Road.

The book tells the story of his descent into gambling addition while he was a college student.

Turbessi also will speak March 7 at Southern Connecticut State University as part of National Problem Gambling Awareness Week.

College Sports Corruption

IMG’s Forstmann Gambled on College Sports, Suit Alleges

While the sports and entertainment conglomerate IMG Worldwide was representing top college coaches from 2004 to 2007, its chairman, Ted Forstmann, was betting hundreds of thousands of dollars on college football and the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament, according to a lawsuit filed last month in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The lawsuit comes at a time when the N.C.A.A. is grappling with the continuing problem of gambling among its student-athletes and those involved in college athletics.

A 2008 N.C.A.A. study of collegiate gambling, for example, found that nearly 30 percent of all male athletes admitted wagering at least once in a year’s time on college or pro sports in violation of N.C.A.A. rules.

In that same study, 0.9 percent of the responding players in Division I football and 0.6 percent of those in men’s basketball said they had accepted money or some other reward for “playing poorly” in games. One percent to 2 percent of athletes in each sport said they knew of teammates who did so, according to the study.

Through a spokesman, Forstmann said that the allegations outlined in the lawsuit were inaccurate and IMG said that he had not been involved in the firm’s representation of college coaches.

Over the years, IMG has become a significant presence in the multibillion-dollar business of college sports.

Shortly after Forstmann made scores of bets worth nearly $100,000 on the 2007 N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament, according to the lawsuit, IMG increased its investment significantly in collegiate athletics. In May 2007 it bought the Collegiate Licensing Company, a licensing and marketing company, and followed in November 2007 with the purchase of Host Communications, a longtime N.C.A.A. partner offering corporate sponsorships, radio and television programs, Internet, national advertising and signage sales.

Now, IMG is the licensing agency for nearly 200 collegiate properties, including the N.C.A.A., the Bowl Championship Series, the Rose Bowl and universities like the University of Kentucky.

Wally Renfro, an N.C.A.A. vice president, said the IMG provides licensing support, game programs and ancillary events production, including those surrounding the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament. The suit contends that Forstmann bet more than $600,000 — in amounts from $2,000 to $23,000 — on the men’s basketball tournament from 2004 to 2007 while IMG was representing college basketball coaches.

“IMG was not representing the N.C.A.A. from 2004 to 2007,” Renfro said. “However, as almost everyone knows, the N.C.A.A. doesn’t like anyone betting on college sports.”

The alleged betting habits of Forstmann, 70, a billionaire and philanthropist, first came to light last month in the lawsuit filed by Agate Printing, which alleges fraud, interference with contract and breach of contract. In the complaint, Jim Agate, the head of Agate Printing, is seeking extensive damages for lost business that he said Forstmann had promised him.

In the suit, Agate also contended that he placed millions of dollars in bets on behalf of Forstmann — among the 70 pages of exhibits are dates, amounts and specific college and professional games wagered on, a wire transfer from Forstmann, and a transcript of a voice mail allegedly left by Forstmann on Sept. 9, 2007, confirming that he had bet $10,000 each on the Mets and the Boston Red Sox, and $20,000 on the New England Patriots.

Forstmann declined to answer questions Tuesday about the allegations or his betting history. He has acknowledged publicly that he bet through Agate, including $40,000 on one of his company’s clients, Roger Federer, in the 2007 French Open men’s final. He says he quit betting altogether in 2007. He denied, however, that suit’s charge that he raised the bet after talking to Federer and receiving inside information.

Forstmann told the Web site The Daily Beast that he had been betting on sports since college. He also indicated he was aware he might be running afoul of the N.C.A.A., saying college athletic officials “are like priests and now they’re asking me if I bet on March Madness.”

“Can you imagine that, I bet a few bucks on sports,” he was quoted as saying.

In an e-mail on Tuesday, Forstmann’s spokesman, Michael Sitrick, wrote, “First, we do not believe that the list of alleged bets by Mr. Forstmann which was attached to Agate’s complaint is accurate.”

Sitrick added: “Mr. Forstmann is not going to litigate in the media. He will say, through me as his spokesman, that allegations in the lawsuit are inaccurate and, if the case ever gets to trial, they will be proven as such.”

Gary O’Hagan, the IMG agent representing coaches in the professional and college ranks, refused to disclose the names of his clients who may have participated in the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament over the years. Villanova’s Jay Wright, for example, is listed on IMG’s Web site as a client. One of Forstmann’s many bets on the 2006 N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament, the lawsuit asserts, was a $7,000 wager on Villanova, made on March 25, 2006.

“I have never discussed my client list with Ted Forstmann nor has Ted ever asked me to show him the list or talk about any particular client,” O’Hagan wrote in an e-mail. “I have had a couple of passing hellos with Ted over the years, but we have never discussed IMG’s coaching clients or client lists. I can also categorically state that Ted has never contacted any of IMG’s coaching clients nor have any of these clients ever contacted Ted about anything. No contact either way.”

In fact, Sitrick wrote, “to avoid any concerns or perceptual issues in the future,” IMG’s lawyers are putting together a rigorous compliance program restricting and prohibiting wagering.

He added: “This program will be more comprehensive than the applicable golf, tennis and N.C.A.A. regulations and codes of conduct. All IMG employees will be required to comply with this program.”


Found here:

This one has a few interesting ties...

A guy named Ted Forstmann, is the chairman of IMG -- and their training academy in Florida is where BU's Andrew Davis went...
But IMG also involves agents that represent athletes and coaches, and this guy who is the head of IMG is involved in hundreds of thousands of dollars in gambling on NCAA games........

so even though this is a little different from the players themselves gambling on games, it is not too much different since this guy and his outfit represent many of the players in those contests he is gambling on...so the connections are surely there to hint that he was paying money to and might have had some influence on the players and the outcome of the games he's gambling on..
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/01/sp...1gambling.html

'Silent addiction' on campus: gambling

From Chicago-Sun Times --

One in four college men gamble on sports on a monthly basis, while more than one in two take part in any form of gambling -- including card-playing or going to casinos -- according to surveys by Don Romer, who has researched high school and college gambling rates for the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

In fact, problem gambling has become such a concern that the national Task Force on College Gambling Policies last month issued a report saying universities should campaign against it to the same degree they fight drug and alcohol use.

...problem gambling went from 6.1 percent of students in 2007 to 7.8 percent last year.

Nearly 15 percent of 636 college athletes Kerber surveyed -- including one in five males but only one in 20 females -- are problem or pathological gamblers.

up to 11 percent of college students have gambling addictions

Lehigh University, Moravian College, Northampton Community College take campus gambling recommendations seriously

Last week, a nationwide task force on campus gambling policies recommended colleges attack gambling addiction...


In the Lehigh Valley, schools have gotten a head start with the latest slots parlor in Bethlehem and the high-profile story of former Lehigh University Class President Greg Hogan Jr., who robbed a bank in 2005 to staunch the losses from an online poker binge.

The task force's report (available at ncrg.org) stated that

up to 11 percent of college students have gambling addictions

and many times the issues go hand in hand with alcohol abuse and other disorders.

Why would anyone continue to promote predatory gambling when the consequences are known?

Gambling on College Campuses

Report calls for more gambling regulation on college campuses

A national gambling task force report released last week calls for more gambling policies on U.S. college campuses.

According to the report, which is a compilation of more than a year of research, about 80 percent of college campuses have inadequate gambling policies and 45 percent of students have gambled in the last year. Researchers also estimate that 3 percent to 11 percent of college students have a serious gambling problem that can result in “psychological difficulties, unmanageable debt and failing grades.”