At a glance: 10 signs of compulsive gambling

Editor

11 years ago

In this Aug. 3, 2009 file photo, people attend the grand opening of the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel in Tulsa, Okla. The nearly $2.5 billion casino industry is going strong in the state, despite an economic downturn in the rest of the country. Addiction treatment specialists say as dozens of tribal casinos popped up throughout the state in the past decade, resources provided to deal with problem gamblers haven’t kept pace. (AP Photo/Tulsa World, Stephen Pingry, File)

Oklahoma Gambling Counselor Shortage — In this Aug. 3, 2009 file photo, people attend the grand opening of the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel in Tulsa, Okla. The nearly $2.5 billion casino industry is going strong in the state, despite an economic downturn in the rest of the country. Addiction treatment specialists say as dozens of tribal casinos popped up throughout the state in the past decade, resources provided to deal with problem gamblers haven’t kept pace. (AP Photo/Tulsa World, Stephen Pingry, File)

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — In 2012, the National Council on Problem Gambling estimated there were about 6 million to 8 million problem gamblers in the United States. The following are signs of problem or compulsive gambling behavior:
— Gambling longer than planned
— Gambled until money ran out
— Thoughts of gambling cause loss of sleep
— Gambled with income or savings without paying bills
— Repeated, unsuccessful attempts to stop gambling
— Financed gambling by breaking the law or considering doing so
— Borrowed money to gamble
— Feelings of depression or suicide because of gambling losses
— Feeling of remorse after gambling
— Gambled to get money in order to meet financial obligations
Source: Oklahoma Association on Problem and Compulsive Gambling, https://www.oapcg.org