- By Matthew P. Binkewicz
- Around Town
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Ask IMOAsk IMOLansing's Advice Column
Dear IMO,
A good friend is slowly getting hooked on gambling. At first, she would take the seasonal trip to Atlantic City. Although she never won any big jackpots, she did manage to break even or lose just a few hundred dollars on these quarterly trips. The losses were ones she could afford.
A “Racino” has just opened near our town within an hour’s drive. She goes every weekend, and I know she is losing as much if not more than she did when she went to Atlantic City. I have discussed my concerns about the increased gambling losses with her, but she insists that the losses are no more than previous ones. Do you know of any self-help guides or other information that I can offer her? Is there any way to stop this slow, downward spiral?
A concerned friend.
There are numerous informational pamphlets and organizations that can offer her help. However, the call for help must come from her. From her point of view, she doesn’t have a problem, you do. Like most gamblers, she is caught up in the tragic and ill founded hope that she is just one spin of the slot machine away from the million dollar jackpot . . . she and the millions of other Americans who visit casinos, racinos, and other gambling establishments.
The gambling industry preys on people like her to visit and spend the several hundred dollars per visit. I find it repulsive and a sad commentary on our society as elected officials continue to fund construction of these gaming establishments. This approach to solving the budget deficit will eventually backfire costing everyone more than ever imagined. But, I digress.
Like any addiction, whether it is alcohol, cocaine, or pornography, the desire and need for more grows with each use or visit. Now that the racino is within an hour’s drive, she will want to go there more often filled with a false hope that she will finally hit the jackpot. In reality, she will lose an ever increasing amount with each trip she makes resulting in possible bankruptcy, psychological breakdown, or worse.
Your efforts to convince her that these increased visits are a sign of a growing addiction will be interpreted as an aggressive move to rob her of some “harmless fun.” She may accuse you of being jealous, greedy, or desirous of her money. You ought to visit a few of the websites that deal with gambling additions and see what they have to offer. Here are just a few: Gamblers Anonymous; I Stopped Gambling; the National Council on Problem Gambling; and Gamanon. I wish you and your friend the best.
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