Group Sees Record Numbers Seeking Gambling Help
Executive Director Says Start Of New Year Is Always Busiest
Updated: 1:19 pm CST January 8, 2009
MADISON, Wis. -- A group that counsels gambling addicts said its help line received a record number of calls in 2008.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling said that its 24-hour hot line received at least 12,000 calls last year -- a 28 percent increase over the previous year.Rose Gruber, the council's executive director, said the poor economy might be one reason for the increase. Gruber said some might see gambling as a solution to making ends meet.Jason Brent, who plays the lottery regularly, said the sluggish economy has affected his lottery ticket purchases."I usually can spend up to about $30 a week just trying to get lucky, trying to find which gas station has the lucky, winning lottery ticket," Brent said. "As far the economy and how bad it is, it's really taken a lot of the lottery playing down."Revenue from the Wisconsin Lottery is down about $17 million from 2007's figures."People used to think lotteries and gambling and gaming in general were recession proof, and I think this recession is proving that that's not the case," said Michael Edmonds, of the Wisconsin Lottery.Edmonds said that numbers are particularly down for scratch-offs."We've seen a decline this year of about 5 percent in the sales of our $20 dollar ticket, which is our highest price point ticket. But we've seen an increase of 5 percent at the $10 ticket," he said.But even with a record number of people looking to quit gaming completely, one member of Gambler's Anonymous said the economy has little to do with those who gamble compulsively."Most of society is rational, and people are going to save money when they have less," said a Gambler's Anonymous member. "But for the compulsive gamblers it gets worse because it's a progressive illness. And so for the people that we would see, there's not necessarily the economy affecting what's happening."The Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling's executive director said that in its 14-year history, the hotline has never been busier. And that isn't expected to change any time soon. Gruber said the first three months of a new year are generally the busiest.The hot line for the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling is 800-GAMBLE-5.The Council on Problem Gambling said that one reason for the record numbers could be that the threshold for what's considered a problem might now be significantly lower due to more families having to tighten budgets.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling said that its 24-hour hot line received at least 12,000 calls last year -- a 28 percent increase over the previous year.Rose Gruber, the council's executive director, said the poor economy might be one reason for the increase. Gruber said some might see gambling as a solution to making ends meet.Jason Brent, who plays the lottery regularly, said the sluggish economy has affected his lottery ticket purchases."I usually can spend up to about $30 a week just trying to get lucky, trying to find which gas station has the lucky, winning lottery ticket," Brent said. "As far the economy and how bad it is, it's really taken a lot of the lottery playing down."Revenue from the Wisconsin Lottery is down about $17 million from 2007's figures."People used to think lotteries and gambling and gaming in general were recession proof, and I think this recession is proving that that's not the case," said Michael Edmonds, of the Wisconsin Lottery.Edmonds said that numbers are particularly down for scratch-offs."We've seen a decline this year of about 5 percent in the sales of our $20 dollar ticket, which is our highest price point ticket. But we've seen an increase of 5 percent at the $10 ticket," he said.But even with a record number of people looking to quit gaming completely, one member of Gambler's Anonymous said the economy has little to do with those who gamble compulsively."Most of society is rational, and people are going to save money when they have less," said a Gambler's Anonymous member. "But for the compulsive gamblers it gets worse because it's a progressive illness. And so for the people that we would see, there's not necessarily the economy affecting what's happening."The Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling's executive director said that in its 14-year history, the hotline has never been busier. And that isn't expected to change any time soon. Gruber said the first three months of a new year are generally the busiest.The hot line for the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling is 800-GAMBLE-5.The Council on Problem Gambling said that one reason for the record numbers could be that the threshold for what's considered a problem might now be significantly lower due to more families having to tighten budgets.Copyright 2009 by Channel 3000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
