President of Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling says the state needs more gambling therapists

Sunday, October 15, 2023 1:06 PM
Photo: By Navin75 - Commonw... Stadium, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41616769
  • Sam Knef, Spectrum News

Sports betting is already generating millions of dollars for the state of Kentucky since it became legal. But it’s also coinciding with a rise in people seeking treatment for gambling addiction, according to one therapist.

It’s been just over a month since sports betting went live in the state. In that time, tens of millions of dollars have already been wagered. A portion of the money goes to the state to shore up Kentucky’s public pension deficit, among other uses.

Some of the money will also go to the state’s problem gaming fund.

Dr. RonSonlyn Clark, president of the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling, said those funds will be put to work.