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COMMON CENTS
Senior Problem Gambling: Trends, Prevention, and Treatment

Produced and Distributed By:
CT DMHAS Compulsive Gambling Treatment Program
CT Council on Problem Gambling

July 2000, Volume I, Issue 3

Welcome to COMMON CENTS, a monthly newsletter. Our mission is to address the issue of senior problem gambling in Connecticut. We hope to open a dialogue with other similarly concerned Nutmeggers by eliciting and responding to your questions and comments in the areas of identification, prevention, and treatment of senior problem gambling.

SO, WHAT IS THE ATTRACTION?

This issue of COMMON CENTS will focus on why some seniors choose to gamble and the reasons that lead some to gamble again and again...

- Opportunity and Availability. For most seniors, access to a gambling venue is readily available. Senior centers and other casino bus trips are frequently offered and affordable. Scratch and lottery tickets can be purchased at most all convenience stores, supermarkets, and gas stations. Seniors are one of the fastest growing groups of Internet users and Internet gambling brings this activity directly into the home.

- Changing Cultural Values. Over time, gambling often has been viewed as an immoral activity and gamblers were looked upon as possessing a poor or weak character. Gambling venues were considered ¡§sinful¡¨ or dangerous. Nowadays, gambling is promoted as a safe and appropriate form of entertainment. It isn't gambling anymore; now we call it gaming and it is fun.

- Boredom and Loneliness. Many seniors talk about having too much time on their hands. Others speak of feeling a painful loneliness due to the loss of loved ones, friendships, and other aspects of their younger lives. Gambling offers them the opportunity to be with their peers sharing an exciting activity that effectively alleviates painful feelings.

- Casino Hospitality. Casinos are seen by many seniors as safe and socially acceptable places to visit. Seniors with physical disabilities may have limited alternatives for socializing and find casinos to be user-friendly and free of most all physical restrictions. Casino hosts treat seniors with respect and welcome them as special and valued guests.

- Excitement of Risk Taking. The wagering of money, the potential for winning or losing, can be a favorable mood altering activity. Many seniors find that the cognitive stimulation brought on by the abundance of lights, sounds, and focused attention associated with gambling to be a strong, positive experience. Episodic winnings may occur, generating powerful boosts in self-esteem. Winning can create a belief that gambling could become a means of supplementing income. For seniors on fixed low incomes, such hopes are strong incentive to continue gambling.

- Power and Independence. The Arizona Council on Compulsive Gambling, reporting on Arizona seniors who gamble, states that some seniors talk of feeling a sense of control and independence when gambling. This perspective was especially notable when the senior gambler reported having been living with an overbearing spouse. Other seniors reported feeling a release from everyday limitations and restrictions when gambling.

DID YOU KNOW?
When gambling, some gamblers report experiencing an analgesic effect, diminished awareness of their physical pain. Others report hypnotic effects such as the loss of awareness of the passing of time, feeling numb or detached from themselves, feeling unreal as if being a different person, and a lack of awareness of their need to eat, rest, or void themselves.

ABOUT THE SPONSORS
The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling (CCPG) is a private, non-profit organization with a mission to reduce the prevalence and impact of problem and compulsive gambling on individuals, families, and society. The CCPG operates a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential problem gambling Helpline, a service that offers information and referrals to problem gamblers and those affected by them.

HELPLINE: 1-800-346-6238

The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addictions Services Compulsive Gambling Treatment Program (CGTP) provides professional treatment for compulsive gamblers and their families at nine locations throughout the State of Connecticut.

ADVISORY PANEL
Jane Barry, Attorney at Law
Thomas Hardin, Senior Center Director
Annette P., Recovering Compulsive Gambler
Merle S., Recovering Compulsive Gambler

Please cite COMMON CENTS as the source of this quote.

There is a wisdom in the body that is older and more reliable than clocks and calendars. ~John H. Johnson