Gambling in Colorado — whether it’s sports betting, slot machines or lottery tickets — continues to grow and with that growth comes an increase in the number of people who are addicted to betting, sliding coins into machines or scratching tickets.
Have a gambling problem?
To that end, the Colorado Gaming Division and Colorado Lottery are promoting March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month, and representatives from both agencies descended on the Capitol on Wednesday morning to hand out pastries, coffee and information on what to do if you or someone you know is addicted to lottery tickets, slots or betting on football.
They promoted a hotline for those who need help — 1-800-GAMBLER (800-426-2537) — and handed out fliers for a treatment and recovery center in Lakewood.
The number of people in Colorado with a gambling addiction is unclear. State officials on Wednesday said an estimated 1% to 2% of the people who gamble become addicted, although Jamie Glick, director of the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado, said it could be eight times higher, at 16%.
There also is no quick estimate of the number of people who are regular gamblers on which to base that percentage and to determine how many people are addicted.
The gaming division and Colorado Lottery have programs to promote responsible gaming, including a self-exclusion list where people can self-impose bans for up to five years. The Colorado Lottery has a full-time responsible gaming manager and is asking the Colorado General Assembly for permission to hire a second person in the coming year, said Jennifer Anderson, Colorado Lottery’s deputy senior director.
The lottery also wants permission to increase its spending on responsible gambling advertising and marketing by $225,000, Anderson said. All of the money would come from revenue generated by lottery ticket sales, but the agency needs legislative approval. If the lottery receives the money, its budget for responsible gambling would total about $750,000, she said.
The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission last week awarded nearly $3 million in grants to organizations that are combatting gambling addiction in the state. That money is going toward research, counselors and treatment in the state.
There are clear signs for when a person has a problem.
Amanda Quintana, the Colorado Lottery’s player health manager, said a glaring sign is when a person lies about their gambling habits, whether it’s about how much they are spending or how frequently they play. Other signals include thinking about it often and when playing no longer becomes fun.
“All things in moderation,” Quintana said. “It’s a lot like alcohol and chocolate. There are ways to engage with these products that feel healthy and sustainable for you.”
To get started on recovery, people should limit the money they budget for gambling and the amount of time they spend on betting apps or in casinos, said Corrie Martinez, the Colorado Gaming Division’s responsible gaming manager. She also recommended a cooling-off period where a person steps away from it.
Glick, who also counsels people who have gambling addictions, said a month dedicated to awareness is nice, but a continued presence for helping people is needed.
“It can’t be a situation where we just check a box,” he said. “Gambling is highly addictive behavior.”
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