Join the effort to help problem gamblers recover

Let me tell you about a student I’ll call John. John was a first-generation college student, and his family was so proud of him. However, he had a secret. It started when he first went away to school. Sports betting through online fantasy leagues was a fun way to stay connected to family and friends back home. John and his friends would all get together on a group text and share their bets.

When he wasn’t gambling, John was starting to think about what his next bet would be. And eventually, what had started as a social activity was now a solo endeavor. When John wasn’t missing classes to gamble, he was gambling in the back of class on his phone. He had tried to cut back and even stop. His grades were suffering. Even worse, he had spent all his student loan money gambling. He was now borrowing money from friends and family and lying about what it was for. He was afraid to tell his parents and terrified he was going to get kicked out of school.

John is not alone. Sports bettors are at a particularly high risk for developing a gambling problem. According to the National Survey on Gambling Attitudes and Gambling Experiences 2.0, 4 out of 5 sports bettors reported often needing to gamble more and more over time to achieve the same feeling of excitement. Last year in Virginia, data from the state’s Problem Gambling Helpline showed that most of the callers (65%) were males with 23.4% in the 25-35 age range.

Problem gambling is defined as gambling behavior that compromises, disrupts or damages personal, family or vocational pursuits. Approximately 2 million U.S. adults (1% of the population) are estimated to meet the criteria for severe problem gambling. Another 4 million to 6 million meet the criteria for mild or moderate problem gambling.

March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month. Now in its 20th year of recognition, the month was designed to coincide each year with March Madness, when Americans are expected to wager more than $6 billion during the course of the three-weekend basketball tournament. For most adults, gambling can be a fun and entertaining experience, but there are risks involved.

As our state’s legislature continues to make multiple new forms of gambling legal and easier than ever to access, it’s important for Virginians to be aware of the signs of problem gambling. The state’s confidential helpline, 1-888-532-3500, is a free service funded by the Virginia Lottery and operated by the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling. An impressive 83% of people helped last year reported they had not gambled at all or decreased their gambling after the six-month follow-up. Consistent support works.

Last year, calls to the helpline increased by 57% from 2021 — an expected jump with legal sports betting now available and new casinos opening across the state. While the Council oversees this critical service, it has not received any funding from the state’s Problem Gambling Treatment Fund to date. It survives through membership donations. Current members include DraftKings, Caesars Entertainment, the Virginia Lottery, Barstool Sports/Penn National Gaming, Colonial Downs and two local Community Service Boards representing the Middle Peninsula/Northern Neck and the Shenandoah Valley.

I encourage all of Virginia’s new gambling operators, health care organizations and financial institutions to do the right thing. Join the cause and help us raise awareness about problem gambling and, most importantly, shout from the rooftops that resources are available for anyone whose betting habits may have crossed from casual to compulsive. Together, we can reach young adults like John and give them hope that there’s a path to recovery from the hidden addiction of gambling.