Courtesy of The National Council on Problem Gambling
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and other sources note the following statistics. 15 percent of Americans gamble at least once per week. Approximately two to three percent of Americans meet the criteria for problem gambling. That’s around 6 million adults and about a half million teens.
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and other sources note the following statistics.
- • 15 percent of Americans gamble at least once per week.
- • Approximately two to three percent of Americans meet the criteria for problem gambling. That’s around 6 million adults and about a half million teens.
- • Youth risk developing a gambling problem at a rate of about two to three times that of adults, and approximately 6 percent of college students in America have a gambling problem.
- • About 40 percent of people with a gambling problem started gambling before the age of 17.
- • Nevada has the highest prevalence of problem gambling in the country, at about 6.4 percent.
Effects of Problem Gambling
- • There are an array of harmful effects arising from problem gambling, including:
- • NCPG notes the annual cost associated with gambling (crime, addiction, and bankruptcy) is $17 billion.
- • Approximately 76 percent of problem gamblers are likely to have a major depressive disorder, according to the NCPG.
- • The NPCG also says children of problem gamblers are at higher risk for a number of behaviors including problem gambling, tobacco use, and drug use.
- • Oregon Problem Gambling Resource states that about 10 to 17 percent of children of problem gamblers and about 25 to 50 percent of spouses of problem gamblers have been abused.
- • Georgia State University (GSU) estimates that about 50 percent of problem gamblers commit crimes, and about 2/3 of those crimes were directly related to the gambling.
- • GSU also notes that 73 percent of people who are incarcerated are identified as problem gamblers.
- • An Australian study found that one in five suicidal patients had a gambling problem.
WHAT IS PROBLEM GAMBLING?
Gambling addiction—also known as pathological gambling, compulsive gambling or gambling disorder—is an impulse-control disorder. If you’re a compulsive gambler, you can’t control the impulse to gamble, even when it has negative consequences for you or your loved ones. You’ll gamble whether you’re up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed, and you’ll keep gambling regardless of the consequences—even when you know that the odds are against you or you can’t afford to lose.
Of course, you can also have a gambling problem without being totally out of control. Problem gambling is any gambling behavior that disrupts your life. If you’re preoccupied with gambling, spending more and more time and money on it, chasing losses, or gambling despite serious consequences in your life, you have a gambling problem.
A gambling addiction or problem is often associated with other behavior or mood disorders. Many problem gamblers also suffer with substance abuse issues, unmanaged ADHD, stress, depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. To overcome your gambling problems, you’ll also need to address these and any other underlying causes as well.
The first step is to separate the myths from the facts and what are the implications?
The Mayo Clinic identifies the following risk factors for developing a gambling problem.
- • Behavior or mood disorders
- • Age – the problem develops more frequently in young people
- • Family influence – whether parents and other close adults were gamblers
- • Personality characteristics such as high level of being competitive, or easily bored
Further, Problem Gambling Prevention identifies certain risk factors in teens, including:
- • Being male
- • Living in a single-parent household
- • Having a below-median household income
- • Early initiation – starting before 8th grade
- • Playing sports at school
- • Experiencing problems at home
- • Having low-self esteem and self-worth
Courtesy of http://risehelp.info/online-gambling/ The Rise Center Shares;
Online gambling casinos earned $29.3 billion in 2010, an increase of 12 percent. Morgan-Stanley projects that online gaming in the United States will be worth $9.3 billion by 2020. Currently, some states allow online gaming, including Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware.
COLLEGE STUDENTS AND ONLINE GAMBLING
The fastest growing segment of the population involved in online gambling are college students. A University of Connecticut study showed:
- • 23 percent of college students had gambled online
- • 6.3 percent did so weekly
- • In the group that gambled frequently online, 61 percent were pathological gamblers.
- • In comparison, only 5 percent of non-internet gamblers were considered to have a gambling problem.
Another report on online gambling noted that the easy accessibility and frequency of play of online gambling present a significant risk of problem gambling.
OTHER INTERNET GAMBLING STATISTICS
Other statistics about online problem gambling include:
- • A 2013 Australian survey showed 30 percent of online gamblers were at risk of problem gambling. Only 15 percent of offline gamblers risked developing a problem.
- • BBC reports a rise in problem gambling in the 18 to 35 year old demographic in 2010, 2011, and 2012.
- • Another report links smartphone gaming to an increase in problem gambling.
You can RISE above gambling and other addictions!
Some of the life’s greatest milestones are threatened by problem gambling and other addictive behaviors. Addiction affects not only the addicted person, but the entire family and can cause a tremendous amount of wreckage and problems in all areas of life for everyone in the family.
RISE believes in the power of family recovery, and is passionate about providing help for both the individual and the family members. We aim to provide compassionate quality treatment for you and your loved ones on the journey to recovery and healing. Recovery starts with you. Rise has great resouces too!
Here are just of few of the resources that can STOP GAMBLING Your Life Away!
Gamblers Anonymous www.gamblersanonymous.org
National Council on Problem Gambling www.ncpgambling.org
Arizona Council on Problem Gambling https://problemgambling.az.gov/arizona-council-compulsive-gambling
Gam-Anon (For Family/Friends of gambler) www.gam-anon.org
National Suicide Prevention Hotline https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Nevada Al-Anon (For Family/Friends Alcoholic) wwwnevadaal-anon.org
Al-Anon www.al-anon.org
Alcoholics Anonymous www.aa.org
Narcotics Anonymous www.na.org
Nar-Anon (Family/Friends) www.nar-anon.org
Game Quitters-Video Gaming Addictions http://gamequitters.com
Nevada Council on Problem Gambling www.nevadacouncil.org
Nevada Gamblers Helpline 1-800-522-4700
National Problem Gambling Helpline Text 800-522-4700
National Problem Gambling Helpline chat www.ncpgambling.org/ch
Vogue Recovery Center www.voguerecoverycenter.com
In Case Of An Emergency Always Call 911 First.
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