Sept. 24 to 30 is Problem Gambling Prevention Week in Greater Sudbury, and the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) will be holding a number of events in the city to create awareness of the importance of early detection.
The council's Know the Signs campaign aims to help people who may be struggling with problem gambling to recognize the warning signs and to connect them with resources in their community.
"This campaign refers to the idea that mixed feelings about someone's gambling such as anxiety, guilt, frustration are all important early warning signs or signals about how people may feel about their gambling," said Greg Eaton, spokesperson with RGC.
"We want people to know that these feelings are there for a reason and if people recognize them, we want to assist them with reaching out and making a connection to some of the local service supports or treatment providers in the Sudbury area."
According to research by the RGC, 3.4 per cent of Ontarians have a moderate to severe gambling problem. In the Greater Sudbury, Manitoulin and Sudbury districts, this equates to approximately 5,200 adults.
In addition, the council's research shows that approximately one in 10 Ontarians report being negatively affected by someone else's gambling. This means that another 15,400 people in the Greater Sudbury, Manitoulin and Sudbury districts are being negatively impacted by problem gambling.
"Many people think it's just a matter of time until they'll hit the jackpot," said Shelley White, CEO, RGC. "The truth is that some people gamble to the point that they damage their finances, relationships and health. Problem gambling can be financially and emotionally devastating for the individual involved and the most important people in their lives."
On average, gamblers without a problem spend about 1.5 per cent of their personal income on gambling as a form of entertainment. Problem gamblers often spend up to 21 per cent of their total income on gambling.
"Most people across the province who are gambling are doing so safely and are setting appropriate limits and are able to keep it in perspective," said Eaton.
Current plans for the Kingsway Entertainment District include the construction of a $60-million casino, which has set off some alarm bells among citizens who don't support gambling. During a town hall meeting in January, casino naysayer Ruby Lougheed Yawney questioned why the city was inviting a casino into the community, mentioning that she knew people who had committed suicide over gambling.
Eaton says that he doesn't have concrete numbers as far as what the prevalence of problem gambling in communities that have casinos and whether or not Sudbury would see a definitive spike in problem gambling if/when a casino is built.
"That's certainly a legitimate concern, it's valid, but our purpose of coming to Sudbury with this program is to hold a fun and interactive event to get people thinking about what they can do to keep their play safe," said Eaton.
"Setting limits with both their time and money, having realistic expectations for winning and losing and really challenging them with what they can do to keep things safe and in perspective so it doesn't become problematic."
Problem gambling and gambling addiction are not one and the same, says Eaton, though problem gambling can certainly lead to an addiction if the warning signs are not recognized.
"I think you classify it as problem gambling when people aren't setting limits and their life is being negatively affected," said Eaton.
"Certainly losing a lot of money and being affected negatively financially is a huge problem and can also affect other parts of a person's life. Going outside of your limits and having it negatively affect other aspects of your life like relationships, that's the definition of problem gambling. I think certainly when it becomes problematic it can definitely lead to an addiction and that's where it's important for us to have local treatment programs and service providers readily available."
The RGC will be hosting an awareness event on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at Gateway Casino in Chelmsford (400 Bonin Rd.) from 5 - 9 p.m.
There will be a number of other events focused on problem gambling happening in the city over the course of the week.
The event schedule is as follows:
- Thursday Sept. 27: Delta Bingo & Gaming (940 Newgate Ave.) 12 - 3 p.m.
- Friday Sept. 28: Gateway Casino (400 Bonin Rd.) 5 - 9 p.m.
- Saturday Sept. 29: Delta Bingo & Gaming Val Caron (2914 Hwy 69 North) 12 - 3 p.m.
- Saturday Sept. 29: Gateway Casiono (400 Bonin Rd.) 5 - 9 p.m.
- Sunday Sept. 30: Gateway Casiono (400 Bonin Rd.) 12 - 4 p.m.
For more about the emotional and behavioral signs to watch for and how to protect yourself from problem gambling, visit knowthesigns.ca.
