Whether you’re at home, at the grocery store, in your office or out socializing with friends and family, you can find plenty of opportunities to place bets and try to win money.
Unfortunately, gambling can take a toll on your financial situation and your health. More than four million people in the United States meet the criteria for problem gambling every year.
There are plenty of ways to place bets while still in your home, from card games with friends to online gambling using your computer or tablet. Unfortunately, an addiction to gambling at your house can lead to secluding yourself from friends and raising your debt.
For adults, picking up a lottery ticket can be as easy as running to the store to buy milk and eggs, and that can lead to escalating debt and addiction. Remember that the odds never change. A losing streak does not guarantee you are “due for a big win.”
New York's legal gambling age of 18 doesn't prevent kids from being affected by problem gambling. Thousands of youth from age 13-17 develop gambling problems every year. Educating children on the risks and consequences associated with gambling is critical to preventing addiction.
Raffles and bingo games are common methods of fundraising for places of worship and community centers. While they may provide socialization and community engagement, they can be regular opportunities for problem gamblers to lose time and money.
Office gambling pools aren’t uncommon, from basketball brackets to picking the Super Bowl winner to guessing pregnant employees’ due dates. But for problem gamblers, these situations can trigger gambling urges they’re fighting to ignore.
Without proper advice or knowledge of how the stock market works, many people enter the stock market with little more than reliance on a guess and hope to profit. The urge to invest in order to make money can cause poorly-prepared people to face financial and emotional consequences similar to problem gambling.
Whether you’re at the racetrack or watching on television, there are plenty of opportunities to gamble on horse races throughout the year. Do you lose money on horse races, either while betting with friends or on your own?
Casinos are tourism destinations, entertainment venues and places filled with gambling opportunities. For many people, these are positive and fun experiences, but for problem gamblers, trips to the casino can lead to heavy debts, missed days of work and other consequences at home.
Are you concerned about the gambling of you or a loved one? Help and hope is available 24/7 at the NYS HOPEline. All calls are toll-free, anonymous and confidential. Reach out today.
