TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Just like with a substance addiction, someone addicted to gambling can build a tolerance to the brainโs reward system, making them go further to feel the same sensation.
And with each wager placed, there is more at stake than losing a couple of bucks.
Since its legalization two years ago, sports betting has become an integral part of game day for some football fans, but itโs important to recognize when the game is starting to play you.
The ease of placing bets has allowed sports betting to take off in the past couple of years.
โWith you not having to get in your car and drive to a casino to drive to a sports book, you can just sign up on an app and bet from your couch,โ Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission Government Relations Manager Randy Evans said.
In the same vein, that convenience can become a pitfall for some users causing them to spiral into an addiction.
โPeople will, what we call chase their bets,โ Evans said. โIf they start losing, then theyโll start doubling, trying to catch up, to quote, get even, and they just tailspin farther, or theyโll start off real small and win and think that itโs easy.โ
Evans says many individuals either donโt realize they have a problem or they refuse to admit it, but there are some red flags to look out for.
โIf youโre borrowing money to gamble, if you think that youโre trying to win to pay bills, and if you start to not do things that you enjoy doing,โ Evans listed.
The boom of advertising in recent years may cloud the devastating impact the habit can wreak.
Evans encourages those who are aware they have a problem to sign up for the voluntary exclusion list at either the casinos or the KRGC office, or on the apps. With the option of 90 days up to a lifetime, the six legal sportsbooks and casinos can prohibit you from placing a bet anywhere.
โPeople will say, I signed up at FanDuel, but now Iโm trying to bet on DraftKings, and I canโt,โ Evans said. โ So we explained to them, once you sign up for one itโs across the board.โ
KDADS offers various resources for those who feel they may have a gambling issue.
For no out-of-pocket service costs call 1-800-gambler.
The Kansas Coalition on Problem Gambling holds meetings on the second Wednesday of every month at 2209 SW 29th St. from 8:30 to 9:30 am.
Visit knowwhenthegameisplayingyou.com or www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/20-questions
Copyright 2024 WIBW. All rights reserved.
