About 1 in 5 Arizonans age 21 and over are experiencing gambling-related problems, according to a new state-commissioned study.
That translates to more than 1 million Arizonans. The survey did not look at gambling problems among people under 21, which could add hundreds of thousands more to this figure of direct gambling-related harm.
The research found that problem gambling has increased in Arizona over the past few years.
Harm Fan-Out in Arizona
Harm isn’t isolated to people with a gambling addiction. In fact, a typical gambling addiction harms five others, according to separate research cited by the World Health Organization.
The Arizona survey found that 16% of respondents reported being “personally negatively affected by the gambling behaviors of a friend, family member, coworker, or someone else I know.” This figure does not include minors harmed by someone else’s gambling.
In Arizona and elsewhere in the U.S., gambling is a permanent crisis. And while rates of gambling-related harm vary by state, the Arizona findings are similar to those in other states.
Arizona sanctions a wide array of gambling, including online sports betting. However, it does not sanction online casino gambling (e.g., online slots, roulette, etc.), which may be the most addictive and harmful form of gambling.
A driving factor in problem gambling is the erroneous belief that you can win money from gambling. The survey found that 59% of Arizonans gamble with the intention of winning money.
Growing Awareness
The silver lining, according to the survey paper, is that more Arizonans realize that gambling is a public health issue and that there are resources for potential help. National surveys have also shown that a growing number of Americans see gambling addiction as a public health matter.
If you’re concerned about your gambling, or the gambling of someone you know, call Arizona’s helpline at 1-800-NEXT-STEP.
Recently, Arizona launched a no-cost peer gambling support program. It’s never too late to take steps to quit gambling.
