Shine the Light on Problem Gambling:

In Life…When Gambling is No Longer a Game…Losing is NOT an Option!

March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month

Problem Gambling is known as the Hidden Addiction. Unlike other addictions, problem gamblers do not display physical signs. There are no “card marks” on their arms, no “roulette breath,” no “dice eyes,” and no saturation point. While visible symptoms are minimal, problem gamblers are often depressed, anxious, and may have suicidal thoughts. They often neglect family and friends, run up large amounts of debt, and may be involved in illegal activity in order to fund their addiction. Gambling addiction is a diagnosable and treatable mental health disorder. Help and hope are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the 24/7, Confidential, and Multilingual 888-ADMIT-IT Problem Gambling HelpLine.

This March, Challenge Your Knowledge by Playing The Game of Life: Choose Your Path

The theme for Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) 2023 is “In Life…When Gambling is No Longer a Game…Losing is NOT an Option!” The FCCG has created an interactive card game which addresses topics and issues related to problem gambling and is loosely based on The Game of Life, a popular board game where players encounter different risks and have to make choices that influence their outcome. Start the game below!

In each round, after first answering a brief trivia question designed to provide you with knowledge about problem gambling, you will choose a card to play from a series of 4 themed decks – WEALTH, CAREER, FAMILY, and ADVENTURE. Each card puts you in a situation where you must CHOOSE A PATH for how to proceed. Choose carefully — the path you take each round will determine whether you earn or lose LIFE POINTS, and ultimately your SCORE.

We all play a part

Facts about problem gambling

$9B
the estimated social costs per year alone represent billions of dollars
822K
the estimated number of at-risk past-year problem gamblers (adults) in Florida
210K
Florida adults who are currently (past year) diagnosable as disordered gamblers
26%
increase in Florida contacts to 888-ADMIT-IT for problem gambling help over the past year

 

56%
increase in gamblers age 25 or younger in need of supports since 2019-2020
53%
of problem gamblers started gambling before age 26
$163k
average gambling-related losses of a problem gambler: $163,141
$25k
average gambling debts of a problem gambler: $25,103

 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2021-2022 ANNUAL HELPLINE REPORT

Contacts made to the FCCG’s 888-ADMIT-IT Problem Gambling HelpLine during the 2021-2022 Fiscal Year continue to provide evidence that Floridians suffering from the negative effects of a gambling problem are in dire need of immediate supports. This video covers the most notable findings in the 2021-2022 Annual HelpLine data analysis.

HELP AND HOPE ARE AVAILABLE: CALL 888-ADMIT-IT.
THE FCCG IS DEDICATED TO RAISING AWARENESS OF PROBLEM GAMBLING THROUGHOUT FLORIDA AND PROVIDING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO ANYONE SUFFERING FROM THIS HIDDEN ADDICTION.

We are the FCCG. We are 888-ADMIT-IT.

Thousands of people contact the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine each year for help and information, and millions more have been exposed to the number and the services and resources the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) provides to Floridians suffering from the impacts of problem gambling. As the 24/7, Confidential, and Multilingual Problem Gambling HelpLine for the entire state, 888-ADMIT-IT is the gateway to a series of free services which are not available anywhere in Florida, online, or elsewhere. Help seekers receive timely and updated resources as well as up-to-the-minute problem-gambling-related news, research, and information, along with FCCG’s tailored programs and services, available for both gamblers and their loved ones.

A gambling addiction can be devastating. This disease affects a person’s self-worth, their relationships with others, their financial livelihood – and while everyone’s story is unique, there is a common thread that links those who contact the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine. They are looking for a way to get their lives back on track. For over 30 years, the FCCG has been instilling hope and furnishing help to those affected by problem gambling.

The 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine can be accessed by calling or texting the widely publicized toll-free telephone HelpLine number (888-ADMIT-IT), through Live Chat on the agency’s website (www.gamblinghelp.org), by email (fccg@gamblinghelp.org), with the 888-ADMIT-IT mobile app, or by connecting with the FCCG on Facebook and Twitter.

888-ADMIT-IT is the Only Problem Gambling HelpLine Dedicated to Serving Floridians

The 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine is an ever-evolving resource for Floridians. The FCCG is committed to personalized service and prides itself on the relationships built during HelpLine contacts, which are often a one-time opportunity to motivate behavioral change, and to share a message of hope that recovery is possible. In addition to serving individuals suffering from problem gambling and their loved ones, the FCCG 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine furnishes important problem gambling education, information, supports, and training for Florida Professionals, including qualified addictions/mental health/other medical professionals, gambling operators, employers, and others, to assist them in providing services and supports to the population negatively affected by gambling within the Sunshine State.

Gambling addiction can be hard to spot

Learn the signs

Need to gamble with increasing amounts to achieve the desired excitement.
Restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop gambling.
Repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back on or stop gambling.
Frequent thoughts about gambling (such as reliving past gambling or planning future gambling).
Often gambling when feeling distressed.
After losing money gambling, often returning to get even. (This is referred to as "chasing" one's losses.)
Lying to hide gambling activity.
Risking or losing a close relationship, a job, or a school or job opportunity because of gambling.
Relying on others to help with money problems caused by gambling.

HEAR FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS OF PROBLEM GAMBLING

THE IMPACTS OF PROBLEM GAMBLING CAN BE DEVASTATING

Knowing what to look for isn’t enough.
People need help.

Our Services

Organizations from all over Florida are joining us in support of PGAM.

Interested in becoming a 2023 PGAM partner? Email us at pgam@gamblinghelp.org!

Problem gambling is in the press during PGAM.

Newsweek spoke to FCCG about impacts the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine is seeing in light of the sports betting boom, and in particular the dangers for young males. Read the cover story, These Are the Real Dangers of the Sports Betting Boom for Young Men, as it appears in the 03.31-04.07.23 edition of Newsweek magazine.

Contact the HelpLine

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