Kentucky’s calls to problem gambling helpline grow

Kentucky legalized and more importantly – launched sports gambling on September 7 (retail) and September 28 (online) of this year, allowing locals to finally place a wager without the need to cross state borders or worse, explore illegal options.

For all the good the regulated industry has done, there have been some reasons for concern particularly to do with the level of calls placed to problem gambling lines.

According to June Leffler for KET’s Kentucky Edition, there have been a three-fold increase in these communications. Leffler spoke with various counselors who deal with problem gambling in the state to confirm the numbers. Among the interviewees is one Lionel Phelps, who works with River Valley Behavioral Health in Owensboro.

Worse, though, it’s not so much the increase in calls as it is the lack of treatment options it seems. Kentucky only has seven certified gambling counselors for a population of 4.5m people. This invites it all sorts of disaster if left unchecked. There are several reasons why counselors sound the alarm.

The $1.2m supposed to be coming in to tackle problem gambling is locked until 2024, which means that early interventions and treatment would be more difficult to administer considering the dearth of resources.

Leffler has also interviewed Ronsolyn Clark, from Boulware Mission, who explains that much like drug or alcohol addiction, gambling addiction is a disorder that messes up with the dopamine release in the brain, often pushing individuals into reckless spending to get the dopamine release.

The United States as a whole has around 1% of its population categorized as people who suffer from a gambling disorder, a serious form of addiction. This is some 3 million people at the very least. However, another 2-3% have a gambling problem, which means that they are struggling to keep their habits under control.

The United States is new to regulated gambling on a scale that we see in recent years. Problem gambling help has always been part of new efforts to regulate any type of gambling in the United States. Ohio has been at the cutting edge of supporting its vulnerable consumers, with the state rolling out a state-wide self-exclusion program to this end.

However, other places have regressed. Washington D.C. has decided to reduce the funding that goes to vulnerable individuals and their treatment.

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