A recreational bettor buys the occasional lottery ticket, places a few bucks on a sports bet here and there, or takes an occasional trip to a casino. These players can walk away at any time before losses start to accumulate.
A problem gambler struggles with moderation. What starts out as fun can quickly become an obsession to make up for gambling losses. Gambling becomes all-encompassing for some individuals, turning into a significant medical concern.
Nevada, known as the gambling capital of the world, has its share of problem gamblers. In fact, WalletHub has named the state as this year’s most gambling-addicted state in the US. However, industry leaders have voiced numerous concerns about the study’s accuracy.
Nevada top rated list of almost all gambling-addicted reports
WalletHub put together a report using unique metrics to be able to rank typically the 50 reports on unnecessary gambling traits. Some of these metrics include the occurrence of against the law gambling surgical treatments, lottery revenue per household and the range of adults dealing with gambling obsession.
Nevada seemed to be listed as the utmost gamble-friendly point out and the point out with the most significant number of citizens with wagering problems and also receiving remedy. Nevada is also the top point out for internet casinos per household, gaming equipment per household and gambling-related arrests for every capita.
Listed here is a look at the top most gambling-addicted states, in line with the study:
- Nevada
- Southern region Dakota
- Montana
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- New Jersey
- Ok
- West Las vegas
- Pennsylvania
- Or
Field leaders criticize WalletHub’ nasiums study
However, several high-ranking individuals have expressed doubts about the credibility of this study for various reasons. For instance, Ted Hartwell of the Desert Research Institute questioned the criteria used by WalletHub to assess states.
“I don’t know where they got them,” Hartwell said. “I don’t know any peer-reviewed studies that would look at those factors and say, ‘these are good ways to measure prevalence in a particular state.'”
For example, Hawaii is listed as tied with Georgia for the lowest number of legal non-casino slot machines. However, Georgia has 33,000 coin-operated amusement machines regulated by the state lottery, while Hawaii has none.
Additionally, California is ranked 11th on WalletHub’s list. However, a 2022 audit of the state’s Office of Problem Gambling found that the office “cannot demonstrate that their assessment of the programs and services has any direct connection to improvements in those programs and services.” The audit also did not provide an estimate of how many Californians are dealing with gambling addiction.
Furthermore, Hartwell added that while Nevada casinos are abundant, many of them market themselves to people from other states.
“When you’re using the procedures used in this study, it certainly skews the numbers,” he said. “You have major resorts and casinos along the Strip corridor and downtown that are primarily catering to tourists.”
Keith Whyte, the Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, did not hold back in his conversation with PlayNevada last week.
“Problem gambling is a serious issue and we certainly believe state governments should do more. But WalletHub’s arbitrary, flawed rankings based on shoddy methodology do a disservice to this important public health discussion.”
Methods available for individuals who need help using problem wagering
Problem gambling is a real concern, but fortunately, there are resources available for Nevadans to get the help they need.
The Nevada Council on Problem Gambling is a non-profit organization that offers counseling, assistance in finding treatment options, and a 24-hour toll-free hotline. The hotline number is 1-800-GAMBLER, and it is part of the recently-revamped national hotline system.
Gamblers can also choose to add themselves to the self-exclusion database in Nevada, which helps limit their options for gambling.
There are also support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous, GAM-ANON, and GamTalk that provide peer-assisted support to gamblers and their families. These resources can help problem gamblers realize that they are not alone and that they don’t have to feel ashamed.
Aleeyah hails from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and has been primarily working in the poker industry since 2015. From writing articles to interviewing big winners and providing live coverage of poker’s biggest stages, she has experienced it all. Aleeyah has a passion for food and travel, and she loves to create content that showcases her interests. She now reports on all aspects of the growing U.S. gambling industry.
