More Slot Machine Addicts Than Assistance

Across the country the number of slot machine addicts has increased as the number of casinos and access to the slot machines has increased. However, the main problem facing those looking at a slot machine addiction is that there is no where to get help.

As the number of slot machine addicts has grown, assistance centers have not been able to grow with them. They are far and few between, and the ones that are around are woefully understaffed. The number of slot machine addicts far outweighs the methods of getting them help.

According to a recent study, there are more than 1.2 million slot machine and gambling addicts in California alone. In just one state there are more than a million – think about how many there are across the country. By allowing the number of slot machines to grow exponentially, lawmakers have not taken into consideration the number of people who would need help with that kind of gambling expansion.

Class II games were bad enough with some people getting addicted, but with the advent of Class III slot machines more people were getting addicted and losing larger sums of money. They then began to chase the loss instead of just playing for recreational purposes. California brings in somewhere around $7.7 billion a year in slot machine and gambling revenue; Las Vegas brings in $6.5 billion – where do they think this money is coming from?

With only a handful of private counselors who are specifically trained in handling slot machine and gambling addiction located across the country, it can be tough for an addict to get the help they need. Some states are aware of this and are looking for ways to help those who need it the most, but this is simply a band-aid on a gaping wound. Those that need the help the most probably won’t get it until after they have lost everything – if they get it at all.

 

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