Watch for the signs, says safe gambling agency
There are likely 11,000 people in Niagara who have some level of gambling problem.
Many don’t know it and some will find out too late — but it doesn’t have to be that way, says Greg Eaton, team lead for a Responsible Gambling Council crew that has visited the region’s casinos and bingo halls in the past week.
“The idea is to have some healthy dialogue with people about not only how to keep their gambling safe and within limits, but the focus this year is to know the signs,” he said.
It might be frustration, he said. Or anxiety, possibly guilt.
“How are you feeling when you’re gambling?” he said.
“Are you experiencing real high highs and low lows? Are you frustrated or are you stressed? Other signs more indicative of gambling behaviour … are you lying about gambling?
“Are you gambling more frequently? And the big one is, are you chasing your losses and playing more to win back those losses?”
A recent CBC report found that across the country, Canadians spent $13 billion on legal gambling such as casinos, bingos, lotteries and race tracks.
Studies show the vast majority of people can handle gambling and limit their spending and time, but about 3.4 per cent “have a moderate to severe problem,” Eaton said.
During a stop at Delta Bingo and Gaming in Niagara Falls Saturday, Eaton and other staff were available to speak with players and hand out literature and contact numbers.
“What we’re finding is there are a lot of people who don’t necessarily have gambling problems but they are being negatively impact by someone in their life who does,” Eaton said.
“So we want to get them connected to support services in their area and let them know there’s help for them as well.”
If he encountered someone locally looking for help for a gambling issue, he said he would direct them to Community Addiction Services of Niagara. It can be reached at 905-684-1183.
“It’s an excellent resource to get assistance and talk to professionals … there’s no cost, it’s free of charge and confidential.”