What does a problem gambler look like?
Contrary to popular belief, the problem gambler doss not typically look like a reckless young hustler or the long-time loser viewers would often see in films. According to the Problem Gambler Help Network of West Virginia, the most common profile for a compulsive gambler is a middle-aged woman in a high-stress service industry such as social work or health care. Many of them work in casinos themselves.
Since 2000, the non-profit group has compiled data on callers to its gambling help line and has created a profile from those statistics. Their reports show that an “average” problem gambler plays the slot machines, rather than games that require decisions such as blackjack and poker. They play these simple games to escape the stress of their jobs, families and life changes such as a loss of a loved one.
These women frequently carry debts as high as US$25,000 to finance their slot habit. They get the money to play by either borrowing it from family and friends, or forgoing paying necessary bills such as rent, mortgage, and utilities. Most of them play at neighborhood slot halls and taverns, while much fewer of them try their luck at the state’s horse tracks that house slot machines.
In Connecticut, with its numerous and opulent casinos, the profile of the problem gambler resembles an educated, middle-aged Caucasian male who lives near one of the major gambling centers in the state. However, according to data compiled by the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, female callers reported a dangerous addiction to slot machines at a rate nearly three times higher than that by male callers.
Most of the callers reported being unemployed, at a rate of nearly three times that of the population at large. Among those who reported that they were currently employed, most of them were in professional occupations or in middle management. In both cases, callers reported that they used gambling to relieve stress. Instead, they usually experience feelings of depression, fatigue, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
Many communities offer free counseling and advice for those players who may not know when to walk away from the games, whether it is poker, blackjack, craps or slot machines. Experts advise that players who have these issues should seek help for their problems from these and other available resources.
Monday, November 9th, 2009 | Posted in Casino news | No Comments »
Contrary to popular belief, the problem gambler doss not typically look like a reckless young hustler or the long-time loser viewers would often see in films. According to the Problem Gambler Help Network of West Virginia, the most common profile for a compulsive gambler is a middle-aged woman in a high-stress service industry such as social work or health care. Many of them work in casinos themselves.
Since 2000, the non-profit group has compiled data on callers to its gambling help line and has created a profile from those statistics. Their reports show that an “average” problem gambler plays the slot machines, rather than games that require decisions such as blackjack and poker. They play these simple games to escape the stress of their jobs, families and life changes such as a loss of a loved one.
These women frequently carry debts as high as US$25,000 to finance their slot habit. They get the money to play by either borrowing it from family and friends, or forgoing paying necessary bills such as rent, mortgage, and utilities. Most of them play at neighborhood slot halls and taverns, while much fewer of them try their luck at the state’s horse tracks that house slot machines.
In Connecticut, with its numerous and opulent casinos, the profile of the problem gambler resembles an educated, middle-aged Caucasian male who lives near one of the major gambling centers in the state. However, according to data compiled by the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, female callers reported a dangerous addiction to slot machines at a rate nearly three times higher than that by male callers.
Most of the callers reported being unemployed, at a rate of nearly three times that of the population at large. Among those who reported that they were currently employed, most of them were in professional occupations or in middle management. In both cases, callers reported that they used gambling to relieve stress. Instead, they usually experience feelings of depression, fatigue, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
Many communities offer free counseling and advice for those players who may not know when to walk away from the games, whether it is poker, blackjack, craps or slot machines. Experts advise that players who have these issues should seek help for their problems from these and other available resources.
