Gambling Questions Remain

Thu., Dec. 18, 1997

Amy Scribner Staff writer

It’s a common cliche: the image of seniors being bilked out of their life’s savings at a blackjack table.

What isn’t known is if the cliche is accurate.

Many retired senior citizens consider gambling a fun and inexpensive recreational activity.

“We just do it for fun,” said Florence Bobiak, who takes occasional day trips to casinos with the South Hill Senior Center.

She generally spends her time at a slot machine with nothing more than a few rolls of nickels.

“I’m not in this for the big bucks,” she said.

And a 1996 survey by the Washington State Council on Problem Gambling showed that, while between 32,400 and 75,700 state residents can be classified as lifetime pathological gamblers, typical problem gamblers are significantly more likely to be under the age of 30.

But that’s not to say a problem with senior gambling doesn’t exist, said Gary Hanson, executive director for the Washington State Council on Problem Gambling.

“It’s definitely a problem for some seniors,” he said. “A lot of folks retire, they don’t have a lot to do, and they’re gambling more and more.”

Hanson said that while it seems more seniors are experiencing gambling addictions, there’s a lack of research to support that perception.

“The numbers are tending to be higher, but we can’t prove it,” he said. “There haven’t been any really good studies on it.”

Overall, adult gambling is on the rise, according to a Harvard Medical School study released this month. The study estimates that 3.8 million adults in the United States and Canada suffer from serious gambling disorders.

This is an increase of more than 1.6 million in the past two decades.

The study’s facilitators attribute the increase to the increasing acceptance of gambling as entertainment.

Hanson said anyone who has questions about gambling addictions is encouraged to call the National Council on Problem Gambling helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

, DataTimes

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