According to Gamblers Anonymous, signs of compulsive gambling include: borrowing money or selling items to finance gambling; gambling to pay off debts; committing a crime or considering such action to support one’s habit; considering suicide; losing sleep and work time; an unhappy home life; becoming careless of the welfare of self and family; feeling a strong urge to continue gambling whether winning or losing; and gambling until one’s last dollar is gone.
Casino expansion fuels concern
Several resources are available for people who believe that they or someone they know might have a gambling problem:
* The Rochester affiliate of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, an arm of the DePaul organization, offers information on problem gambling and local Gamblers Anonymous meetings. Call 585-719-3481 or 585-719-3484, or visit http://ncadd-ra.org.
* The Gamblers Anonymous hotline is 1-855-222-5542. Visit www.gamblersanonymous.org.
* The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services’ 24-hour hotline is 1-877-846-7369. Visit http://www.oasas.ny.gov/gambling/.
