Looking for the facts with regards to gambling addiction is the best way to keep yourself safe. When looking for facts stick to those provided by university, non profit organisations or the government to ensure you have an unbiased angle. Below are ten facts from US Congressional Report 1999:
- Legalised gambling the in US has grown the activity and is now a common activity that is still growing in popularity. Indian gaming is now the fastest growing industry in the world.
- It seems to true that the area in the immediate vicinity of a gambling facility in the United States are provided with economic pluses.
- In the US the government make the decisions about gambling. Local and tribal governments decide on what type of gambling is allowed, who can gamble, who can work in the industry, where the establishment can be located and how big it is. Any decision that needs to be made regarding gambling is made by the government.
- Gaming and online gambling is legal in some states but is not federally legal.
- The impact on the economy of the areas in the US where gambling has been permitted has, as far as can be quantified, had a positive effect on jobs, development and investment. The benefits of casino gambling have been fantastic for economically depressed places where the opening for opportunities is rare.
- The cost of a compulsive gambler that are due to the loss of employment, unemployment benefits, welfare and decreased mental health and treatment for compulsive gambling in the US were around $5 billion per year.
- Online gambling sites enlarge the problem of gambling and the existence of a gambling facility can double the issue of compulsive gambling within a 50 mile radius.
- Gambling addiction is hard to measure but it has been shown in studies that in any population 1 in 7% of Americans are problem gamblers, 1.6% of the population of adults are problem gamblers, 3.2 million are compulsive gamblers and 7.7 million are problem gamblers for life.
- In America young people who gamble is a big issue. In studies it has been shown that 10% – 15% of young people have had problems with gambling and 1% to 6% of those are compulsive gamblers.
- It is not usual for gambling locations to be linked with crime but with many pathological gamblers reputation for stealing to keep up the habit it is not formally linked. It is difficult to prove a link between gambling and crime.