Problem gambling issues lost in debate

Kevin O'Hanlon

Monday, March 10, 2003 | 9:41 a.m.

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Seemingly lost in the legislative debate over whether to allow casinos in Nebraska is the concern over the social ills that might come with expanding gambling.

To be sure, gambling opponents have raised the issue, but most of the attention instead is being focused on how many casinos might be allowed, where they would be built and what the state would do with the revenue they generate.

The Nebraska Council on Compulsive Gambling opened a three-day conference in Lincoln today focusing on compulsive gambling.

More than 5 million Americans are pathological or problem gamblers, and 15 million more are at risk of becoming just like them, according to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission.

An estimated 3 percent to 7 percent of gamblers become problem gamblers.

Compulsive gambling is generally defined as behavior which causes disruptions in any major area of life: psychological, physical, social or vocational.

Pat Loontjer, executive director of the Nebraska anti-gambling group Gambling With the Good Life, believes casinos are the worst form of gambling.

"Slot machines -- which are the basis for 90 percent of casino gambling -- are the crack cocaine of gambling," she said. "It's very addictive."

Lawmakers last week gave first-round approval to a measure (LR11CA) that would allow voters to decide whether they want casino gambling in Nebraska. If approved by voters, up to eight casinos would be allowed to operate in the state.

Like most states, Nebraska runs a lottery. It also allows horse racing, keno, bingo and pickle cards. But Wyoming is the only state bordering Nebraska that does not allow casino gambling.

Iowa has allowed casinos since 1989. It is estimated that at least 65 percent -- or some $250 million -- of the money spent annually at the casinos across the Missouri River from Omaha comes from Nebraskans.

"If you talk about potentially dangerous recreation, gambling has quietly but consistently gone from being something that was fairly rare that Americans did to a situation where it's almost rare if you don't gamble," said Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, who is set to speak at the Lincoln seminar.

The Nebraska Health and Human Services System estimates that more than 62,000 adults in Nebraska have at some point experienced a problem with gambling or exhibited pathological gambling behaviors.

The Nebraska Council on Compulsive Gambling reported treating 721 problem gamblers or their family members in 2002. The number of people seeking treatment has increased an average of 85 percent each of the last three years.

While Nebraska uses some of the revenue generated from its lottery sales to help compulsive gamblers, Whyte said the state will have to augment that if the state has casinos.