Virginia is about to take a new approach to problem gambling.
Virginia has experienced a huge explosion of gambling options in the last few years, with several new casinos and skill games at convenience stores and gambling apps on smartphones. Carolyn Hawley at Virginia Commonwealth University says that’s created an explosion of problem gambling.
“What we’ve seen is as gambling availability has increased in Virginia, we’re also seeing an increase in the number of people who are seeking help,” Hawley says. “If you look at our state’s problem gambling helpline calls, they’ve risen dramatically in recent years, and those who are reaching out are also increasingly younger populations.”
