FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Ray Carter, House Media
Capitol: (405) 557-7421

Contact: State Rep. Lance Cargill
Capitol: (405) 557-7400
Harrah: (405) 454-1022

Oklahoma Braces for Explosion of Problem Gamblers

OKLAHOMA CITY (September 22) - The explosion of problem gamblers in Oklahoma is expected to wreak havoc on both the state economy and the lives of citizens, yet the state has no certified gambling counselors or treatment programs.

State Rep. Lance Cargill, who conducted a legislative study on the problem, said the state must dramatically improve its response to gambling problems.

"This issue is about people who are hurting," said Cargill, R-Harrah. "The politicians who push hardest for expanded gambling seem eager to see people lose their money, but have a lot less interest in helping those same people when their money is gone."

House Speaker Todd Hiett, R-Kellyville, has vowed to make gambling treatment a top issue of the 2006 legislative session and suggested expansion and assistance for more faith-based counseling programs may be pursued.

State officials estimate that up to 51,000 Oklahomans are pathological gamblers and another 76,000 may be problem gamblers.

The economic impact of those 127,000 individuals is significant.
Recent reports indicate the state economy is already bearing the loss of
$50 million in gambling-related bankruptcies and that number is expected
to increase as gambling expands in Oklahoma.

A state question approved last fall legalized casino gambling in
Oklahoma for the first time, including video slot machines and video
poker. On the same ballot, a state lottery received voter approval.

Previously, horse racing and bingo-style games were the only
legal forms of gambling in Oklahoma.

Officials said up to 28 percent of male problem gamblers have
declared bankruptcy.

A private citizen, who asked that her identity remain
confidential, testified before legislators on Thursday about her
experiences as a spouse of a compulsive gambler. She said most help that
is available overlooks the financial fallout of gambling addiction,
which she said needs to be addressed before the family or the addict can
deal with the emotional aspects of their problem. At a recent Gamblers
Anonymous meeting, she and four other participants estimated their
families combined had lost more than $500,000 to casinos.

Officials believe the economic losses from gambling-related
bankruptcies could offset most of the gains in state revenue created by
gambling based on current trends.

Noting that Oklahoma is already one of the poorest states in the
nation, officials believe the impact of problem gambling will have
ripple effects in many other areas.

For example, state officials said the suicide rate among problem
gamblers runs as high as 20 percent and up to 76 percent of pathological
gamblers have missed time from work due to their gambling problem.

However, the state of Oklahoma does not yet have any certified
gambling treatment programs and earmarks only 7 cents per capita on
gambling treatment.

Once Oklahoma's lottery is launched, a portion of that revenue
will go to gambling treatment, potentially increasing state spending on
treatment to 21 cents per capita.

That amount is far less than the sums other states spend. For
example, the state of Connecticut spends 52 cents per capita on gambling
treatment even though there are only two casinos in the state.

On the other hand, Oklahoma is home to more than 80 casinos
today.

During Thursday's study meeting, lawmakers visited with
officials from Missouri and Washington to learn what those states have
done to address problem gambling.

The following ideas were among the policy proposals suggested:
* Banning or limiting the use of ATMs or other cash-advance
services at casinos

* Charging a state fee to enter a casino and earmarking the money
for treatment programs so that gamblers pay the costs of their own
treatment

* Creating "self-exclusion" programs for compulsive gamblers

* Launching public awareness campaigns
"Obviously, we're going to be dealing with the economic and
social impact of gambling for a long time," Cargill said. "Many people
pushed for expanded gambling despite the fact that we had no
infrastructure and no road map to address the consequences. We need to
focus our attention now on providing help to those people who will fall
victim to gambling addiction."