HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Since the start of sports betting, Florida's Gambling Helpline has seen a dramatic increase in calls from gamblers needing help.
Officials say the number of calls has more than doubled since sports betting became legal in December.
“We're struggling, but there's no question that it's an effort to keep us going,” said Richard Pinsky of the Florida Compulsive Gambling Council.
Mr Pinsky said he was struggling to keep up with the volume of calls pouring into his 24/7 gambling helpline. The state-contracted nonprofit has seen a 138% increase in calls and text messages since sports betting began 45 days ago in December.
“We're scrambling and trying to add staff,” Pinsky said.
“We've seen this take away people, their homes, their families, everything they own,” said Forrest Arthur, CEO of addiction treatment facility Resurgence Tampa Bay.
Arthur said the number of calls has also increased due to improved accessibility.
“They basically walk around with their drug of choice in their back pocket and can gamble whenever they want. For people who suffer from this problem, dealing with this obsession can be very It’s difficult,” Arthur said.
Currently, the Seminole Tribe is the only company allowed to conduct sports betting in the state of Florida.
When asked about the increase in calls to the gaming hotline, the Seminole Tribe sent the following statement:
“Hard Rock Bet is committed to player safety and responsible gambling. In addition to providing responsible gambling tools with Hard Rock Bet products, the Seminole Tribe is the largest funder of the Florida Compulsive Gambling Council. We donate annually, providing more than $24 million in funding through decades of support and continuing to promote the 1-888- ADMIT-IT Helpline. We work with the FCCG to , we look forward to continuing to identify and provide resources to those in need.”
People like Arthur who work in addiction treatment said they were not surprised, in fact disappointed, and stressed that help is available for those struggling.
“Ask for help. Don't try to manage it on your own and don't think of it as a failure or weakness. This is a very human and understandable problem,” Arthur said.
For resources, visit gaminghelp.org or call or text 888-ADMIT-IT (236-4848).
