Jan. 18, 2003 

Calls for gambling help rise sharply

By Andy Thompson 
Neenah-Menasha bureau chief 

The warnings to out-of-control gamblers are found on billboards, transit buses and scratch-off lottery tickets.

They are part of a public awareness campaign that the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling claims is largely responsible for a whopping increase in the number of calls to its helpline in 2002.

“We had a big jump,” executive director Rose Gruber said of the 7,550 calls that were made to the helpline in 2002, compared to 5,195 in 2001. “We haven’t had that big of a jump before.”

It was the sixth consecutive year that a record number of calls were placed to the helpline, which was begun in 1996. There were moderate increases in each of the first five years. 

The average gambling-related loss reported by callers in 2002 was $35,180.

Gruber believes that the public awareness campaign had a great bearing on the record-high number of calls. She acknowledged, however, that gambling is highly accessible in Wisconsin and its pervasiveness accounts for at least a portion of the increase. 

“It’s kind of hard to tell if it’s good or bad,” Gruber said of the 2002 total. “We think a lot of it is due to public awareness. The information is out there and help is available. We know the compulsive gamblers are out there, and the fact that they are calling us is wonderful.”

Tom Sebora, a certified gambling therapist at Catholic Charities in Appleton, said he is not surprised by the 2002 statistics. 

“I think there have been a lot of people in trouble for a long time, and it has finally gotten so bad that they are asking for help,” he said.

Sebora said the sharp rise in calls could be a positive development. 

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing,” he said. 

“That means that there are more people asking for help. It doesn’t necessarily mean that more people are in trouble for gambling.”

Jessalyn Harvath, assistant to the general manager at Oneida Bingo & Casino, said brochures that offer assistance to people with gambling problems are available at the casino. 

Harvath said the casino “fully supports” the efforts of the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling.

“We’re here for entertainment,” Harvath said. “We don’t want people to use their money recklessly.”