“I’ll be dad-gum if it ain’t a puzzling thing what to do about gambling.”

                                     ____ Huey Long 

Gambling has been around for ages. In the book High Stakes Gary Provost states “Gambling is as old as mud.”  Lotteries are mentioned in the holy books of various religions. Humankind’s fascination with games of chance is also documented in paintings, engravings and relics retrieved by archaeologists. Ancient Roman society had a passion for gambling and several Roman emperors were compulsive gamblers. King Henry VIII had prodigious appetites and among them was gambling, mainly for dice ranked very high. The nineteenth-century Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky might never have achieved greatness had it not been for his gambling obsession. Some of his most noted books – Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, The Possessed and The Gambler- were written to finance the crushing pressure of his gambling debts. The first Europeans who came to America brought their gambling traditions with them and discovered that Native Americans were already actively gambling, especially young males were wagering heavily on sporting events. Even Harvard University was developed and built with lottery proceeds.

Today’s college students are the first generation of Minnesotans to have grown up with legal gambling easily accessible and acceptably. Credit is easily available, student loan money easily accessible and the internet is a constant companion. Ken Winters,PhD, University of Minnesota Medical School says,

            “I make a joke that….the second-best gambling environment in America is the college  

             dorm”. “You’ve got your privacy, you’ve got your high-speed Internet, you have your

             independence from a parent, you probably now have some credit card money…It’s like a

             little mini casino right in your laptop…It’s almost too easy.”

Gambling at University of Minnesota Duluth

In October of 2006 an email survey was distributed to the students of UMD as well as College of St. Scholastica, Lake Superior College and Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. The following highlights some of the research findings regarding UMD students thus far in the analysis. The final report is due for completion in Spring 2007.

The most common game played among students is Texas hold ‘em and especially among men, where one in four play at least monthly.

 At UMD there are 3 games where at least ten percent of surveyed students play more than once a month, giving us an idea of how many students play regularly. The games are, in descending order: Texas hold’em with friends for money, Lotteries, and Texas hold’em online not for money.

Taking a closer look at the issue of online gambling was a concern for this project, as there was little research to corroborate anecdotal evidence. The result is that UMD has the highest rate of students gambling online compared to the other colleges in the survey. Eighteen percent (18%) of UMD students have gambled online at some point. Other studies around North America have indicated 5.5% of students have gambled online, as in the 2005 report by the Responsible Gambling Council of Ontario, and as much as 20% seen in a study by the New Jersey Council on Problem Gambling, also in 2005. In Duluth, 49% of UMD students who have gambled online have done so for more time than they intended, and 20% have gambled online more money than they intended.

Gambling prevalence rates are highest at UMD when compared to the other participating colleges. These statistics would suggest that gambling at UMD is in fact very popular, consistent with anecdotal evidence, and on the high end of prevalence rates when compared to national statistics.  Furthermore, there is a positive relationship between an increase in severity of problem gambling and gambling online. These statistics and other relationships between gambling and an increased risk for serious consequences indicate the need for education, awareness and services available on campus for all types of gambling.

A final note on the research. When students were asked who they would seek help from if they had a gambling problem, 25% said their parents. This was second only to “another friend”, at 26%. This is why it is important to know the facts, and know the signs of problem gambling. 

A risky recreation

For most students, gambling is a social or recreational activity. But for others, gambling causes problems and, for some it becomes uncontrollable. Compulsive gambling is not a bad habit that one just stops, but rather a life-threatening disorder. Below are some suggestions for students who choose to gamble to anticipate risks and take steps to reduce or eliminate the risks as much as possible.

Lower risk or responsible gambling includes;

·        *Gamblers know almost everyone loses over time

·        *Gamblers play socially, with friends but not alone

·        *Gamblers limit the amount of time as well as how often they play

·        *Gamblers predetermine an acceptable dollar limit for their losses at each session

Gambling is not a requirement for having fun and being with friends. There are times when gambling should be avoided altogether such as when a student needs to borrow the money to gamble from others. Students should be of legal gambling age, and they should not gamble if it interferes with their studies and classes, as the survey results show that as gambling problems escalate, acceptable grades decrease. They should not gamble if they are not getting adequate sleep or nutrition. Students should not gamble when in recovery from chemical dependency or other addictions nor should they use alcohol or drugs while gambling. It is very risky to gamble when feeling lonely, angry, anxious, or under stress and especially when coping with grief. Gambling is not an efficient or helpful way to solve personal problems. Gambling should never be undertaken as a way to try to recover gambling losses, as this chasing may lead to a sudden decline or demise.

Compulsive gambling is an insidious disease that may be difficult to detect as it encompasses a complex range of emotions and behaviors including secrecy, deceit, shame, control, introversion, intellectualizing, restlessness, financial and legal problems and great misunderstanding. Family members of compulsive gamblers are confused and don’t comprehend the secrecy and swift progression of the disease and commonly experience anger and rage and especially with devastating financial problems.

Signs that may be easy to observe;

·        *Gambling more often

·        *Gambling for more money

·        *Gambling for longer periods of time

·        *Gambling in spite of negative consequences like large losses, poor academic 

·         performance

·        *Gambling trying to cope with stress, loneliness, grief or depression

If someone you know may be experiencing problems we offer these suggestions how you can have a conversation and reach out to get them help.

*Find a comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed

*Keep it simple and straightforward

*Tell the person you care about them and you’re concerned about their behavior

*Tell them exactly what they have done that concerns you

*Tell them how the behavior is affecting other people-be specific

*Be clear about what you expect from them and what they can expect from you

*After you’ve told the persons what you see and how you feel, allow them to respond.

*Listen with a nonjudgmental attitude

*Let the person know you are willing to help, but don’t try to counsel them yourself

*Give the person information, not advise

MAKE THE CALL

Minnesota Helpline,  24 hours a day,  7 days a week,  free and confidential 1-800-333-HOPE

Gamblers Intervention Services, Duluth,  218-722-CARE (2273)  www.gamblersintervention.com free and confidential education, counseling, outpatient treatment for Minnesota residents and family

 

Steven Dentinger                                             

Executive Director

Gamblers Intervention Services

214 W. Superior St, Duluth, MN 55802