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Group, state working to fill gap in compulsive gambling help

Wednesday, June 8, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

TULSA, Okla. -- A national hotline for problem gamblers receives more than 200 calls a month from Oklahomans, but help at a statewide level is just now being organized, the head of the National Council on Problem Gambling said Tuesday.

Between January and April, 894 Oklahomans called the national hotline seeking help with gambling addictions, said Keith Whyte, the council's executive director. Last year, the hotline took 2,431 calls from the state's area codes.

"Given there is absolutely no paid advertising for the helpline, people frankly are looking pretty hard to find the number," he said. "I think that shows there are people definitely in need."

The national group has referred Oklahomans to assistance in neighboring states or to resources on the Internet because no state agencies deal specifically with gambling addiction.

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