Gambling Treatment / Help for Gambling Addiction

Studies show that there are more than 1 million compulsive gamblers under the age of 25. Every time I speak on a college campus I find that more than 20 % of the students can identify a gambling problem. This is alarming to me, as I am sure it is to you. Athletes are more at risk than the general population because they fit the profile of the potential compulsive gambler. They tend to be competitive, bright,exhibiting unreasonable optimism, and have high levels of energy.

Have you ever wondered how many of the students on any campus are looking for money,today, to pay for a wager they lost? Do you realize that there are students/student athletes who will be placing a bet on your schools games this week? If so, you need to read this article.

 

I, too at one time, found myself urgently in need of finding a way to get money to cover a bet. I am a recovering compulsive gambler who placed my last bet on April 10, 1968 and a Certified Compulsive Gambling Counselor. I have been an advocate for the last 44 years, in the area of helping compulsive gamblers and their families.

 

 

Gambling has become so prevalent that odds and point spreads have become a normal topic of conversation amongst college students.

 

On a blustery winter day in New York, on March 28,1996, there was a panel presentation “Gambling and College Sports, hosted by USA Today and the NCAA. It was three days prior to the Championship Game of the Final Four . I was one of the panelists and said:” Gambling is going on. The next general thing that’s going to happen is a major point shaving scandal. It’s right around the corner and when it happens, you’re going to see college administrators’ say: how could this have happened in our school? The NCAA was nice enough to let me write four articles on compulsive gambling, in the last five years. After these articles were published I’ve never received even one call from a school administrator, coach or athletic director. I have, however, received many calls from students asking for help. Talk about having your head in the sand! “Shortly after this panel the point shaving scandals and gambling by athletes started making headlines in the news.

 

I have been speaking on High School and College campuses since the early 1970′s. I know what kind of problem gambling is for many young people.

 

A Harvard University Medical School study estimated that 4.67% of college students are found to have a gambling problem. If we look at these numbers then we would have to assume that at least this many athletes are effected and vulnerable, just because so many of them have personality traits that tend to lead to compulsive gambling problems.

Some of these traits are:

Unreasonable optimism

High levels of energy

Intelligence

Strong competitive drive

 

 

Let’s look at a study funded by the NCAA of 648 male, Division I basketball and football players who responded. Of the group 25.5% said they gambled on sporting events. Four percent said they bet on events in which they played. Three players admitted that they received money from a gambler for not playing well in a game. I wonder about the 1352 student athletes who did not respond to this survey and why they chose not to.

 

Almost every week I get calls on my hot line (888 LAST BET), receive emails, or meet in person college students who have a gambling problem. Whenever I speak on college campuses I find, roughly 10% of students, have a significant gambling problem. I am very concerned about student athletes who are participating in the Las Vegas Bowl games each year. While in Las Vegas they stay in casino hotels. Every year I read about these students gambling in the casinos even though some of them are underage. What kind of message is the NCAA sending to their students and athletes on the campuses?

 

 

Let me share with you some personal stories I’ve heard over the years, from college students.

Paying someone else to take exams or write papers so as not to interfere with time needed to gamble.

Betting on games they were playing in.

Gambling under age in legal gambling establishments.

Robbing a convenience store and a bank for money to gamble with.

Using fake credit cards, bouncing checks, creating phony checking accounts, to get money for gambling.

Selling drugs and selling their bodies to pay gambling debts.

Stealing things and money from other students.

Selling or pawning things that belonged to the college they were attending.

Shaving points (in high school and in colleges).

Running Bookmaking rings, football pools or card games in college,

Using tuition money for gambling.

Using financial aid or other loans for gambling

Conning their parents to send additional moneys, which was used for gambling.

Stealing cars, items in cars or money from employers for gambling.

Selling personal property (cars, jewelry) for money to gamble with.

Losing a baseball scholarship due to being caught bookmaking in college.

Robbing banks in order to pay gambling debts. (Currently incarcerated)

Losing a basketball scholarship from a Division I school because of gambling.

 

I have spoken with officials of the NCAA and they tell me having a game on TV does not encourage more gambling. I don’t think that this is true. Many gamblers that I have worked with report that they were more likely to bet on a game that they could view, even if they are Division II or III games. The following is a quote from the Las Vegas Review Journal (2/3/01): “Having the games on television boosts the betting.”(MGM Mirage Sports Book Director, Robert Walker).

 

 

 

 

 

The losers on the college campuses are the administrators who ignore the issue of gambling; but the real victims are the students who may become addicted compulsive gamblers because they were not given education or awareness as to what gambling can do to their lives, careers and families. Maybe college administrators should know what students already know. It’s easier to place a bet on any college campus than to buy a pack of cigarettes or a can of beer.

 

 

 

 

 

Prevention and/or early intervention can make the difference between life and death. You can’t expect the NCAA to educate your students on the issues of gambling or compulsive gambling. They are focusing on legal and illegal bookmaking on college sports, point shaving and the integrity of the game as it pertains to their athletes.

 

 

 

Someone needs to step forward and help our young people on campuses around this country.

 

 

 

Adminstrators, Deans, Student Life faculty, fraternities and sororities need to join together and target this number one hidden addiction on college campuses, today. That is why I am appealing to you to make prevention and education about the subject of gambling/compulsive gambling a top priority. This problem effects not only athletes, but students and faculty as well.

NEED HELP FOR GAMBLING ADDICTION  CALL 888 LAST BET

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.