Behind the advertisements showing joyful, well-dressed casino gamblers or happy lottery players are legions of low-income losers, new statistics on problem gamblers suggest.
Nearly a third of all callers to a special telephone help line who identified themselves as problem gamblers said they earned less than $24,000 a year. Two out of three said they earned less than $45,000. On average, these problem gamblers said they had lost $23,237 over the last year, with an average lifetime loss of $115,960.
"It's people who can't afford to lose," said Marvin Steinberg, executive director of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. "It's a concern that poor people are losing far more of their income than wealthy people."
Steinberg's organization collected the data through its telephone help line, which surveyed 508 residents who called for assistance with a gambling problem in 2002. Steinberg said his is the only statewide annual survey on the impact of gambling in Connecticut, home of two of the world's largest and most profitable casinos.
"This is the best sample of problem gamblers other than a state-sponsored survey that happens every five to seven years," he said.
About $2 million a year is spent helping problem gamblers in Connecticut. Last year, the state earned almost $400 million from slot machine revenues at the casinos. On a typical day, 30,000 to 40,000 customers visit each of the state's two Indian casinos.
"Whether or not casinos do enough, it's impossible to answer. I feel casinos are doing more and more to help people suffering from a gambling disorder," said William Vellardo, president and general manager at Mohegan Sun.
Vellardo, who regularly participates in statewide problem gambling events, said all employees at the casino receive training to identify the signs of problem gambling. Both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino allow patrons to sign up for the "self-exclusion" list that keeps them off the gaming floors.
"We think we are acting responsibly. No one has suggested that we could do more," said Bruce McDonald, a Foxwoods Resort Casino spokesman. "We don't like to see anyone hurt themselves. We try to act responsibly and deal with an issue that needs to be dealt with."
"We don't like to see people hurt themselves. It's not good for them and it's not good for us," McDonald said.
About 700 people are on Foxwood's self-exclusion list monitored by the tribal gaming authority. Outside of each casino hall there are informational pamphlets about problem gambling. Both Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun contribute about $200,000 annually to Steinberg's organization.
The Connecticut Lottery contributes $1.2 million to problem gambling treatment
Meanwhile, it appears that Connecticut residents of all backgrounds are going to the casinos more often. A recent survey by Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which operates more than two dozen casinos around the country, found that Connecticut residents make more trips in a year to a casino than nearly all other states, visiting a casino an average of nine times a year. In Nevada, Harrah's said state residents visit a casino, on average, 23 times a year.
The Harrah's poll also found that the wealthy are far more likely to gamble. Some 35 percent of Americans with incomes above $95,000 gamble in casinos, compared with 22 percent of adults from households with incomes less than $35,000 annually.
Outside of casinos, the problem gambling survey found that lottery scratch tickets were the No. 1 source of problem gambling. Among all gambling, scratch tickets were second to slot machines and ahead of blackjack.
http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-gamble0730.artjul30,0,7349272.story?coll=hc-headlines-local
Nearly a third of all callers to a special telephone help line who identified themselves as problem gamblers said they earned less than $24,000 a year. Two out of three said they earned less than $45,000. On average, these problem gamblers said they had lost $23,237 over the last year, with an average lifetime loss of $115,960.
"It's people who can't afford to lose," said Marvin Steinberg, executive director of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. "It's a concern that poor people are losing far more of their income than wealthy people."
Steinberg's organization collected the data through its telephone help line, which surveyed 508 residents who called for assistance with a gambling problem in 2002. Steinberg said his is the only statewide annual survey on the impact of gambling in Connecticut, home of two of the world's largest and most profitable casinos.
"This is the best sample of problem gamblers other than a state-sponsored survey that happens every five to seven years," he said.
About $2 million a year is spent helping problem gamblers in Connecticut. Last year, the state earned almost $400 million from slot machine revenues at the casinos. On a typical day, 30,000 to 40,000 customers visit each of the state's two Indian casinos.
"Whether or not casinos do enough, it's impossible to answer. I feel casinos are doing more and more to help people suffering from a gambling disorder," said William Vellardo, president and general manager at Mohegan Sun.
Vellardo, who regularly participates in statewide problem gambling events, said all employees at the casino receive training to identify the signs of problem gambling. Both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino allow patrons to sign up for the "self-exclusion" list that keeps them off the gaming floors.
"We think we are acting responsibly. No one has suggested that we could do more," said Bruce McDonald, a Foxwoods Resort Casino spokesman. "We don't like to see anyone hurt themselves. We try to act responsibly and deal with an issue that needs to be dealt with."
"We don't like to see people hurt themselves. It's not good for them and it's not good for us," McDonald said.
About 700 people are on Foxwood's self-exclusion list monitored by the tribal gaming authority. Outside of each casino hall there are informational pamphlets about problem gambling. Both Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun contribute about $200,000 annually to Steinberg's organization.
The Connecticut Lottery contributes $1.2 million to problem gambling treatment
Meanwhile, it appears that Connecticut residents of all backgrounds are going to the casinos more often. A recent survey by Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which operates more than two dozen casinos around the country, found that Connecticut residents make more trips in a year to a casino than nearly all other states, visiting a casino an average of nine times a year. In Nevada, Harrah's said state residents visit a casino, on average, 23 times a year.
The Harrah's poll also found that the wealthy are far more likely to gamble. Some 35 percent of Americans with incomes above $95,000 gamble in casinos, compared with 22 percent of adults from households with incomes less than $35,000 annually.
Outside of casinos, the problem gambling survey found that lottery scratch tickets were the No. 1 source of problem gambling. Among all gambling, scratch tickets were second to slot machines and ahead of blackjack.
http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-gamble0730.artjul30,0,7349272.story?coll=hc-headlines-local
