TOPEKA, Kansas (WIBW) – Just like substance addiction, gambling addicts can develop a tolerance to the brain’s reward system, causing them to try harder to feel the same sensation.
And with every bet you make, there’s more at stake than just losing a few dollars.
Since its legalization two years ago, sports betting has become a fixture of matchday for some football fans, but it’s important to recognize when the game starts to work against you.
Due to the ease of placing bets, sports betting has experienced a huge boom in recent years.
“Because you don’t have to get in your car and drive to a casino to get to a sportsbook, you can just log into an app and bet from your couch,” said Randy Evans, government relations manager for the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission.
At the same time, this convenience can become a trap for some users and drift into addiction.
“People chase their bets,” Evans said. “When they start losing, they double down and try to catch up, to get even, so to speak, and then they keep spiraling, or they start small and win and think it’s easy.”
Evans says many people are either unaware they have a problem or refuse to admit it, but there are some warning signs to look out for.
“When you borrow money to gamble, when you think you want to win to pay your bills, and when you start to stop doing the things you enjoy,” Evans lists.
The advertising boom of recent years may mask the devastating effects of this habit.
Evans recommends that anyone who is aware of their problem should sign up to the voluntary exclusion list, either at the casinos, at the KRGC office or via the apps. The six legal sportsbooks and casinos can ban you from placing bets anywhere with a notice period of 90 days to a lifetime.
“People say, ‘I signed up with FanDuel, but now I’m trying to bet on DraftKings and I can’t do it,'” Evans said. “So we explained to them that once you sign up with one site, it applies to everyone.”
KDADS offers a variety of resources for those who believe they may have a gambling problem.
Call 1-800-Gambler to avoid service charges.
The Kansas Coalition on Problem Gambling meets every second Wednesday of the month from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at 2209 SW 29th St.
Visit knowwhenthegameisplayingyou.com or www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/20-questions
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