Problem Gambling Awareness Month

ZANESVILLE, Ohio-March is National Problem Gambling Awareness Month in the United States. 

Gambling addiction is a dependency that differs from drug and alcohol addiction. The biggest risk is the destruction of an entire livelihood to addiction. 

“The highest danger is suicide. Many people who have the disease of gambling end up so far in debt that their relationships are destroyed and many of them end attempting and completing suicide. They can lose their homes, they can lose their relationships, their families. Not just relationships but family members end up getting fed up with the situation and alienate that person,” Counselor Gail Shultice said of the disease.

The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio has resources for those facing addiction. Signs of an addiction cannot go unnoticed. 

“When you end up not having enough money to pay your bills, when you are not able to leave the casino or the gambling situation in a reasonable amount of time. When you plan to spend an hour and it’s five hours later. When you plan to spend fifty dollars and now it’s two thousand dollars later. When you keep going back to access the bank to take money out to continue to gamble,” Schultice continued.

The resources can be found on the Network’s website.