Pennsylvania Records Rise In Problem Gambling Calls

Since the intro of online gambling establishments and sports betting to Pennsylvania, the number of 1-800-GAMBLER interactions resulting in the caller receiving help for issue gambling has more than doubled. Similar patterns appear whenever a state launches new types of gambling and is frequently framed as a crisis. However, Josh Ercole, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of PA (CCGP), informed PlayUSA that an increase in calls isn't entirely bad news.


From 2019 to 2021, the overall annual call volume in the state jumped from 11,011 to 17,380 before being up to 14,146 in 2022. However, not all of these are individuals looking for help. A a great deal of 1-800-GAMBLER calls outcome in hang-ups or are from people requiring other factors.


Despite the call volume decreasing in 2022, the number of calls for assistance - or "consumption," as the CCGP calls them - has actually continued to rise. In 2015 saw 2,621 bettors receive help through the helpline, more than double the baseline of 1,100 approximately in the years before Pennsylvania's online gambling establishment launch.


Two reasons for increased problem gambling calls


Ercole described that managed betting expansion impacts call volume in two ways:


" There's probably one element of this where there are individuals who are trying a brand-new game out. It's trendy, it's fun, and soon they develop concerns with it. But, the awareness piece is also something to consider. We have actually doubled our intake call volume from two years back. I think it's likely that a part of that is increased awareness of the helpline and of services that are available.


Do I believe there are more issues? Yes, certainly. But does the boost in calls correspond to how many more individuals have developed a problem? No, I think the genuine number is likely a portion of that.