TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – New Jersey officials seeking new ways to expand services to young at-risk problem gamblers suggested Wednesday that college campuses create rules on gaming like they have on drugs and alcohol.
Gambling industry leaders, law enforcement and state officials gathered in Trenton to consider new preventative and treatment ideas. They also emphasized the need to promote preventative measures at grade school and high school levels using social media.
Gambling therapist Stephen Garbarini said he already sees more young people needing treatment and expects that trend to continue once online betting gets under way. The state legalized Internet gambling this year and the first online bets are expected by year’s end.
Officials said instilling preventative measures at a young age could help target the early signs of problem gambling in children as young as 12 begin experimenting.
Recovering gambling addict Gary Schneider, who now helps treat problem gamblers, told the panel he sees an increasing number of young people become addicted to gambling in casinos and buying rolls of lottery tickets.
“Is that normal? No. Can we stop it? Not really,” Schneider said. “Can we make people aware of it more? Definitely we can do a better job.”
Schneider said everyone should expect the number of problem gamblers -estimated at 350,000 – to rise because of easy access to online gambling from anywhere.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
