News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Breaking News

Letters

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
March 17, 2013

FLASHPOINT: Problem gambling in Indiana: A new understanding of community concern

-----

The week of March 3 was designated as National Problem Gambling Awareness Week.

We live in a time of easily accessible gambling opportunities both legal and illegal. Indiana is like 47 other states in that some form of gambling is legal. Sports betting is illegal in Indiana, but readily available. People “play” the stock market, they just don’t think of it as gambling. The Hoosier Lottery started operating in 1989 and the first of our 13 casinos — two of which are also horse racing tracks — opened in 1995. Indiana also offers off-track betting parlors (OTBs), about 3,000 charitable gaming entities (bingo/pull tabs/raffles) and many bars with raffles/punch boards.

Illinois is in the process of adding to its number of casinos. Michigan has a Tribal Indian casino near our boarder. Ohio will soon have four casinos. Kentucky has been exploring the approval of casinos and electronic gaming at its horse racing tracks. All of these states have lotteries.

In Indiana, the gaming industry has historically provided billions of dollars in revenue to the state and local governments for the benefit of Hoosier citizens. Recently, the Hoosier Lottery entered into a contract with an integrated services provider. The agreement will not only see the state’s general fund realize an additional $500 million of revenue over the next five years, but will also deepen the Hoosier Lottery’s commitment to and implementation of programs focused on social responsibility. Similarly, the casinos continue to help revitalize the communities in which they are based — and all of this at a time when competition for these dollars is increasing.

Now, the Indiana General Assembly is considering legislation that would add table games at our two horse racing tracks. However, also being considered is a $1 million cut in funding for the Indiana Problem Gamblers Fund. This fund currently receives slightly more than $5 million each year, but only $2 million is currently being spent on problem gambling initiatives. The other $3 million is diverted to greatly under-funded alcohol/drug treatment efforts.

The Problem Gamblers Fund’s dollars currently underwrite treatment for problem gamblers and their families, funds the Voluntary Casino Exclusion Program (VEP), trains those providing counseling to problem gamblers and supports afterschool addiction prevention efforts in some schools. The Indiana Council on Problem Gambling received $36,000 this year from these dollars for specific problem gambling activities.

Decreasing dollars that help repair the damage that problem gamblers do to themselves and their families at a time when we are expanding our efforts to increase gaming revenues makes no sense.

The Indiana Council on Problem Gambling (ICPG) works to ensure that resources and efforts to help those impacted by the negative consequences of gambling are available to the 3 percent of gamblers who will develop a gambling addiction. The ICPG maintains a neutral position on legalized gambling; we neither oppose it nor support it. We work with the problem gamblers and their families, Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon, treatment providers, state government, the Hoosier Lottery, the casino properties and all others who seek to help those who have a gambling addiction.

The ICPG can be reached at: (866) 699-4274 and can be found at www.indianaproblemgambling.org. The Indiana Problem Gambling Help line is available 24/7/365 at: 800-994-8448.

For more information about problem gambling, please visit www.npgaw.org.

— Jerry L. Long

Executive Director

Indiana Council on Problem Gambling

Indianapolis

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Letters
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death Chain-Reaction School Bus Crash Injures About 50 Raw: Heckler Interrupts Obama on Guantanamo Raw: 80-Year-Old Climbs Mount Everest Obama Offers Drone Strike Defense Wash. State Man Arrested Following Ricin Scare Raw: Utah Teen Arrested in Death of His Brothers Boy Scouts Decision "First Step" Say Activists Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London Raw: Jurors Deadlock on Jodi Arias Penalty Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead Oklahoma Family Reflects on Lost Son Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness Boy Scouts Mom Supports Gay Inclusiveness Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam A Slice of Apple History Up for Grabs Closer Look at Okla. School Where Children Died New Forecasting Tool Eyed for Hurricane Season Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News