Experts Excited About Number Of Problem Gambling Calls In Wisconsin

There is little doubt that the entertainment value of legalized gambling can be trouble when people abuse the system. The hope is that when people do fall, much like with alcohol or drugs, that someone is there to pick them up.

That someone in 2008 was the Wisconsin Problem Gambling Helpline. The Helpline received a record number of calls in 2008, leaving many to be proud that someone is there to help problem gamblers.

"There was almost a thirty percent increase in calls in the numbers released by the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling. That shows that when a system is in place that works, problem gamblers are recognizing their behaviors and reaching out for help," said addiction Psychologist, Maureen Baxter.

The average debt that the gamblers were in that called the Helpline was $36,000, according to Rose Gruber, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling.

Still, even though that figure is high, there is optimism about the effective of the Helpline. "...We are becoming more effective at getting the word out about the services that are available for those who face gambling issues," Gruber told NBC 26 in Wisconsin.

With the call figures that were compiled, only five to seven percent of Wisconsin residents are considered problem gamblers. With the Helpine working efficiently, authorities in the state are hoping that the number of problem gamblers drop in the coming years.

January 7, 2009
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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