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Mobile betting changed the dynamic of problem gambling, advocate says

Jakub Porzycki
/
NurPhoto via Getty Images

Springtime in America means big-time sporting events like March Madness, Masters golf and playoff action in both the NBA and NHL.

For sports bettors, that can also mean problems with gambling.

“We used to think the problem gambler was the little old lady at the slot machine,” said Diana Goode, executive director of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling (CCPG). “Now the problem gambler is the 20-something male gambling on sports.”

Goode said calls to her organization’s gamblers helpline are up. And she said
beyond sports betting, there is an even greater driving force for getting gamblers into trouble: the relatively new phenomenon of online gaming, which has been legal in Connecticut for nearly three years.

“We find that a lot of sports bettors, they have a season,” Goode said. “Online casinos are all the time.”

While most of those who get into trouble with sports betting are young males, Goode said online casinos that aren't tied to sports are where she sees more women getting in trouble.

That trouble can spread to the entire family. “Kids will borrow money from their parents, maybe they will open credit cards that they shouldn't have,” Goode said. “We get calls from a lot of kids that are using their college funds to gamble, so that really does affect everyone.”

The CCPG offers resources for problem gamblers and their loved ones. “Call the helpline number,” Goode said. “We can get you into counseling. That way, you can protect yourself. You can find out how to talk to that gambler.”

The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling’s helpline phone number is 1-888-789-7777. Help is also available at responsibleplayct.org.

John Henry Smith is Connecticut Public’s host of All Things Considered, its flagship afternoon news program. He's proud to be a part of the team that won a regional Emmy Award for The Vote: A Connecticut Conversation. In his 21st year as a professional broadcaster, he’s covered both news and sports.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.