Gambling Addiction on College Campuses
College football betting can be fun, but gambling addiction on college campuses is a problem. Human beings naturally have addictive personalities. Addictive personalities can manifest themselves in the case of overindulgence in food, alcohol, social media, etc. On the far end of the spectrum, it can become worse when someone becomes addicted to illicit drugs, painkillers, or any other self-destructive behavior.
Gambling can pass from a recreational activity for fun to a self-destructive one when someone cannot contain themselves when it applies to wagering the money needed to sustain themselves or their family. Everyone has disposable income for clothes, friends, travel, entertainment, etc. However, when one gets addicted to gambling, they go above this threshold and can gamble the money and resources needed to provide for themselves.
Gambling Addiction Stats
According to quitgambling.com
- Up to 20 million Americans have gambling problems or are at risk.
- Oklahoma has the highest rate of gambling addiction of all US states, with 6.2% of their population.
- The social cost for a gambling addict (PGSI 8+) is over $30,000/year.
- Gambling addiction in men is 1.5-2x more common than in women.
- 50.2% of all slot machine players have gambling problems.
- In 2022, the US players gambled for $250B, or $764/capita.
- Slot machines are the most addictive. 74% of problem gamblers play slots.
- 77% of gambling addicts play online.
- The average caller of the California gambling hotline spent $46000 annually on gambling.
- 3% of American problem gamblers have more than $300,000 in gambling debts.
- Suicide rates among problem gamblers are 15 times higher than the general population.
- 60% of problem gamblers smoke, and 26% are alcoholics.
What Gambling Addicts Should Do
Anyone with this type of addiction should not be gambling and stay away from peers who do so that they are not in those situations. Gambling Addicts should not hang out with their buddies going to the casino or wagering on sports. Addicts are weaker in self-control, so they must remove themselves entirely from gambling situations or fall back into the same habit. Ex-smokers don’t hang around people smoking; the same should apply to gamblers looking to reform.
Gambling Addiction Help
If you have a gambling addiction, you should seek help immediately. Here are a few links to start your journey to recovery.
