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What is Problem Gambling
Problem Gambling in WA state
Residents of Washington State can participate in an number of legal gambling activities. These are: horse racing, punchboards and pulltabs, fund raising events such as casino nights, bingo, raffles, amusement games, contests of chance operated by charitable and nonprofit organizations, card rooms, the lottery, and casinos and bingo halls operated by Native American tribes.
The first comprehensive survey of problem gambling in Washington State was conducted in late 1992. This survey, funded by the lottery, examined the types of gambling, the amounts of money spent, and any problems resulting from gambling activity. The results were compared to other states in which similar studies had been conducted.
The key findings include:
- 91 percent of the respondents had gambled at some time in their lives. Of this number, up to 158,000 Washington State residents will become problem gamblers at some time in their lives, and up to 75,000 will become pathological gamblers. The study also indicated that up to 93,000 residents were current problem gamblers, and up to 49,000 were pathological gamblers.
- A second study focused on problem gambling and adolescents. This study concluded that 83 percent of Washington State adolescents had participated in some form of gambling activity. Of these young gamblers, up to 33,000 were at risk for problem gambling, and up to 4,700 were already problem gamblers.
- There are a limited number of mental health professionals in the state who have had specific training on the identification and treatment of compulsive gambling. Furthermore, there are no publicly or privately funded inpatient or outpatient treatment programs for compulsive gamblers in Washington. The nearest inpatient treatment program is located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- Most of the help available for problem gambling is provided by Gamblers Anonymous, a program patterned loosely after Alcoholics Anonymous. In addition, the Washington State Council on Problem Gambling, which is partially funded by the Gambling Commission, provides a number of services. These services include: a toll-free information and referral hotline (funded by the State Lottery); public education and awareness; training of mental health professionals and others; and a newsletter to mental health professionals, community groups and others interested in the issue of problem gambling.
THE FUTURE
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