Harvard study examines problem gambling

Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2004 | 8:50 a.m.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A study by Harvard researchers found that about 39,000 Missourians experienced a serious gambling problem in the past year, and Kansas City and St. Louis are epicenters for the state's problem gamblers.

The Port Authority of Kansas City provided a $297,000 grant for the study, which focused on 5,125 Missourians who voluntarily excluded themselves from the state's casinos between late 1996 and early 2004.

Using the threat of prosecution for trespassing, the self-exclusion program bars gamblers from entering Missouri casinos.

The study broke new ground by tracing the correlation between self-exclusion rates and gambling disorders. About 3 percent of problem gamblers worldwide seek help, but the study found that number exceeds 13 percent in Missouri.

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