COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The NCAA men’s basketball championship tournament tips off this week and with billions of dollars expected to be wagered on this year’s games, experts are sounding the alarm about the risks of problem gambling.
It’s not just experts; one Ohio woman is also warning about the dangers behind the growing trend.
“I was so nervous to think that they would just, you know, disown me and be so ashamed of me,” Paige Huskey said. She feared the worst after her first Gamblers Anonymous meeting in 2019. “As soon as the meeting was over, I went outside and sat in my car, and called each of my kids separately.”
The phone calls had been years in the making.
After separating from her ex-husband, and with her children off in high school and college, Huskey said she began playing in weekly card tournaments at a local club.
“That was a once-a-week thing and that was great,” Huskey said. “It was a wonderful social activity. I think most gamblers start out with gambling as a social activity.”
But the once-a-week Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournaments in 2009 became more frequent, evolving into high-stakes poker and blackjack tournaments, eventually leading to slots.
“I had $60,000 in credit card and personal loan debt,” Huskey said. “That’s when, like, for me, I was planning to end my life.”
Huskey credits that Gamblers Anonymous meeting with saving her life.
“We’re not seeing a whole lot of reduction in overall gambling,” Derek Longmeier with the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio said. “It seems like everybody that’s casino gambling is gambling at the same rate, and then adding the sports betting on, as well.”
According to the American Gaming Association, more than $3.1 billion will be gambled on March Madness, continuing the huge influx of engagement, particularly in Ohio.
“Over the first year, we saw a 55% increase in total call volume from the previous year, and those numbers have remained relatively high throughout,” Longmeier said.
With mobile betting, he said more accessibility has led to more problems.
“From then in 2012 to 2022, we saw those numbers go from about 5% to just about 1-in-5 Ohioans at risk,”Longmeier said.
With counseling services, self-help groups, and a national hotline, resources for those experiencing problem gambling are increasing in availability.
But before you bet big this March, experts warn to “pause before you play.”
“From my perspective, the main question is: is it still fun? And if it’s not fun, then that should be a real red flag,” Longmeier said.
Huskey, meanwhile, suggests getting rid of credit cards used for gambling, removing sports betting apps from your phone, and setting limits that make gambling more difficult and not so readily available.
“If you’re still kind of in that phase where you’re not thinking you need help, try to set as many barriers as you can,” Longmeier said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing problem gambling, resources are available.
You can contact the Ohio Problem Gambling Hotline at (800)589-9966 or the National Hotline at 1-800-GAMBLER.
Ohio launched a new responsible gambling campaign in December, for more details go to pausebeforeyouplay.org or visit the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio.
