The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling is working to answer what they say is the overwhelming amount of calls now coming into their 24/7 hotline following the legalization of online sports betting in Florida.
Hard Rock Bet did a soft launch of its online sportsbook in November and then offered it to everyone in December. Since then, phone records from the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling show a 138% increase in the number of calls and minutes made to their hotline, 1-888-ADMIT IT.
"The volume has just exponentially more than doubled overnight," said Jennifer Kruse, executive director of the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling. "We try to do our best to make sure that every call doesn't go unanswered."
She says the concern isn't just how many people are calling but who is calling.
INCREASE IN YOUNGER MEN CALLING FOR HELP
"Definitely younger men," Kruse said. "That's concerning from a gambling perspective. It's not just younger men that are gambling, but they are experiencing problems in their life to the point that they are now reaching out for help."
Now at 71, Larry E. shared his story on how he became a compulsive gambler at just 17.
"From the time I was 17 until I was 40," he said. "23 years of my life were a total mess. I mean, you couldn't imagine the messes I created."
He spent most of those two decades in and out of rehabs but found the most success in a 12-step program through Gamblers Anonymous.
"I went to four or five meetings a week for five years," he said. "Basically, to re-train the way my brain was thinking."
GAMBLING ADDICTION EXPERTS WEIGH IN
ABC Action News spoke with two experts who help treat gambling addictions.
Forrest Arthur is the CEO of Resurgence Tampa Bay. He helps with all addictions, both substance abuse and process addictions, which is where gambling falls under, he said.
"A lot of people who might have never engaged in this behavior or never developed a problem are now going to because it's been so normalized and made so readily available," Arthur said.
Many in the field say gambling is a hidden addiction. According to the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, though the majority of people can gamble for recreation with no problem, about 98% of the population, the prevalence of compulsive gamblers is at 2.1%. In Florida, the latter percentage could equate to 441,000 people.
"Gambling is different because you're really not having to ingest anything. You just have to have a momentary compulsion to do it," he said.
He suggested therapy and 12-step programs to help.
Dr. Damon Dye of Triangle Resolutions is nationally certified, specifically in gambling addiction. He said he was worried once online sports betting became legal.
"It's hard because doing this work for a living, you are dealing with pain at levels for people that's just overwhelming," he said. "So I know it's hard to call, but it's never too late. There is always help."
SEMINOLE TRIBE RESPONSE
ABC Action News reached out to the Seminole Tribe for a statement regarding the increase in calls, which reads as follows:
"Hard Rock Bet is committed to player safety and responsible gambling. In addition to providing responsible gambling tools in Hard Rock Bet products, the Seminole Tribe contributes annually as the largest funder of the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, with funding of over $24 million during decades of support and constant promotion of the 1-888-ADMIT-IT helpline. We look forward to working with the FCCG to continuously identify and provide resources to those who need help."
GAMBLING ADDICTION RESOURCES
The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling offers a self-assessment quiz online along with other resources. If you'd like to reach out for help or are struggling with gambling, the number to call is 1-888-ADMIT IT.
