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Gambling's Grip Crossing Gender Lines

"`I gave away 30 years of my life,' explains Celeste, now in her 50s and not yet ready to reveal her real name, but, happily, gambling free for nearly a year.

"…vCeleste is on the front lines of a battle mental health professionals are increasingly worried about: women who can't control their gambling. As Connecticut's gambling habit matures and grows, women are getting more attention as they increasingly turn to the casinos for their recreation.

"The behaviors of female gamblers also are raising new issues for researchers in a field that even casino operators say isn't studied enough. Unlike men, or people with other addictions, women who are problem gamblers often don't show signs of a crisis until middle age, experts say. Often the problem develops more quickly than in men.

"…Often, it's the thousands of slot machines, whirring around the clock at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun, that pull women in, researchers and counselors say.

"…Just a few years ago, most people who sought help for compulsive gambling were male, said Nancy Petry, director of The Gambling Treatment & Research Center at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Now, 40 percent or more of those seeking treatment are women.

"…Gambling is big business in Connecticut, where patrons pumped more than $9 billion into slot machines alone last year. Another $840 million went to lottery tickets. Meanwhile, the state invests just $1.5 million, mostly from lottery revenues, on problem gambling treatment.

"…This year, about 600 people will take part in state-funded treatment programs across Connecticut. State officials estimate that as many as about 70,000 adults in Connecticut may be problem or pathological gamblers, with adolescents having an even greater prevalence rate…"

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