Gaming News

Florida sees rise in gambling help calls

ORLANDO, Florida -- As reported the Orlando Sentinel: "Calls to a 24-hour gambling help line are up 5 percent over last year and 19 percent over the last two years, and the Altamonte Springs-based Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling expects to see those numbers continue to grow.

"'As a result of the expansion of gambling in the state and the additional gambling opportunities and venues that will be available in the future, we would expect the number of individuals seeking help to continue to rise,' said Pat Fowler, executive director of the council.

"Of the callers to the help line, 11 percent were business owners, and many of those said the bad economy had forced them to turn to gambling to try to make ends meet.

"The number of unemployed callers seeking help has doubled during the past two years to 16 percent.

"Callers reported an average debt of almost $60,000 because of gambling and 11 percent said they had resorted to bankruptcy..."

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