THE COUNCIL WELCOMES PHIL KOPEL

by Phil S. Kopel, Research and Data Director

 

 

 

Hi, I am Phil Kopel, the new Research and Data Director for the Council.  While I am new to the Council, I have been involved in the gambling industry for over 27 years.  I started in the industry as Manager of Marketing Research for lottery supplier, GTECH Corporation. After that, I was the President of Kopel Research Group, Inc., a marketing research firm that conducted lottery game research and player behavior studies for many governmental lotteries and their suppliers and advertising agencies.  Finally, for the past three years I was the Director of Marketing Research for the CT Lottery Corporation.

I prefaced my comments with my background, to illustrate that my knowledge of the gambling industry comes from that of the industry itself, not as a clinical researcher working with problem gamblers.  My research objective has always been to provide my clients and employers with honest information to help them optimize lottery games so that they provide their players with products that they would most want to try, and continue to play.  Clearly the lotteries have been very successful at selling their products.  Last year, annual lottery sales in the United States totaled about $60 billion, and sales were over $4.7 billion in Massachusetts, a state with just 6.6 million people.

As I take on this new role, I have a lot to learn about compulsive gambling, and am looking forward to learning from the best.  Some may think I am changing sides, becoming anti-gambling.  However, the reality is that the Council is neutral about gambling.  Its goal is limited toward the prevention of compulsive gambling and to help current problem gamblers find effective resources to aid in their recovery. Toward those goals, the Mass Lottery and Council are actually partners, since eliminating compulsive gambling is in everyone’s interest.

As a researcher, I am very excited to apply my lottery industry and market research expertise to compulsive gambling issues. 

For many lottery players, buying lottery tickets with “disposable money” (money used for discretionary use after all of the bills are paid) can be fun, like going on a ride at an amusement park.  However, for those who have addictive behavior and gamble compulsively the result can be heartbreaking and devastating.  Money that should be used to pay for needed products and services such as: food, housing, clothing and health care is instead spent on scratch tickets comprised of shiny paper with predetermined outcomes and cash register receipts for games with drawings. 

Games are designed so that most players will occasionally win “your money back” type prizes, creating an incentive for the player to keep playing.  While a few well publicized players do win big, typically the more players play, the more they lose.  That is the only way the system can work.  Here’s why:

For every dollar a player spends to buy a lottery ticket, about 70 cents is returned into the prize pool, 25 cents goes to the state treasury (after all, that is the reason for the lottery) and about 5 cents is used to cover administrative costs. 

Much of the money that goes back to prizes fuels top “promotable” prizes, while the majority of tickets are losing tickets, “win your money back” tickets and some minimal “small tell your friends you won” type prizes. 

For those who find fun in these games, the lottery has succeeded in meeting its objective. The lottery wants you to have fun and play for entertainment value... while it takes your money. They also couch their message by saying, “play responsibly;” meaning do not spend more than you can afford to lose, because that is the likely outcome. However, for those who cannot play just for fun and are experiencing gambling issues, the Mass Council on Compulsive Gambling understands the problem and they can help.

Prevention Comes First

by Sasha C. Russell, M.A., Program Specialist, Communications, The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

  

  

On Monday December 10^th, several Council members traveled to Shrewsbury, Massachusetts to attend Council Consultant Jim Wuelfing’s training, “Prevention of Problem Gambling: What Every Preventionist Needs to Know.” Nearly 30 people from all over the state and varying organizations and fields were there to either get an introduction to prevention and problem gambling or expand the knowledge they already have on the topic.  The training took place from 9am – 4pm and there was a lot of opportunity, not only for learning, but networking as well. The morning’s introductions helped everyone in the room know at what level of understanding each person was.

Prevention is something that is unfortunately not always addressed in our society. We tend to be a society that takes action AFTER an event, rather than taking measures to prevent certain actions from happening in the first place. An important lesson to learn from this that Jim said during the training is that “no progress has ever been made against any epidemic by treating only the casualties. We’d simply replace them with more.” Program Specialist Jodie explains Jim’s point, “If we do not enhance, increase, [and] enable our prevention efforts, the progress [made to help] decrease problem gambling will never go forward. [It] will never progress to the point where the negative consequences of the gambler, their families and communities can lessen. This one of the key missions of the Council… like Mother Teresa did: help heal those in pain.”

For all situations in society, especially physical or mental illness, prevention is a key point in progressing forward and creating overall understanding of the issue. In regards to problem gambling, prevention and research, the Council’s Research and Data Director Phil, believes strongly in efforts toward more research on prevention. According to Phil. Prevention is important because it “is the active process of creating an environment which lowers the probability that those starting out as social gamblers will eventually become problem and compulsive gamblers… I learned that real prevention requires raising protective factors and lowering risk factors.”

The information covered was insightful. Especially with the holidays coming up, many children receive scratch tickets as a “fun” and “special gift for the holidays (read more about it here). With the average age of onset being between 9 and 11 years old, it’s important that prevention start at the home. Protective factors, as Phil mentioned, are factors that decrease the chances of someone (or a community) developing health and behavioral problems. Having multiple protective factors can override risk factors, which are factors that increase the chances of someone (or a community) developing health and behavioral problems. Jim and a study done on youth gambling, “Youth Gambling Problems: The Identification of Risk and Protective Factors,” have laid the following out as protective factors:

·         A relationship with a caring adult role model

·         Having an opportunity to contribute and be seen as a resource

·         Effectiveness in work, play and relationships

·         Healthy expectations and a positive outlook

·         Self-esteem and an internal locus of control

·         Self-discipline

·         Problem solving and critical thinking skills

·         A sense of humor

·         Family cohesion/connectedness

·         School/community connectedness

·         Designing school-based prevention programs that seek to develop student’s attachment, trust, and identification with larger groups (e.g. school clubs and sports teams, Scouts or Guides)

Something I always teach my sociology students about society is that people tend to be less destructive towards themselves and others if they are able to feel a connection to their family, friends, and community around them. Prevention is not only important for problem gambling, but for all possible health and behavioral problems. We should keep this in mind and close with us especially during the holiday season, when many people might have heightened feelings of detachment. Be kind to your neighbor, even sometimes a simple smile and nod “Hello” can change someone’s outlook for the day.

All in all, Jim’s training was very balanced training, Program Specialist Amanda felt, filled with information for peoples of all levels. Not only were we able to cover prevention basics, but we were able to focus on special populations such as children, college students and older adults. Though prevention can start when one is young, it is something that needs to be practiced during all stages of life.

THE COUNCIL WELCOMES JODIE NEALLEY

by Jodie Nealley, M.S., Program Specialist. Jodie is shown here outside the house made famous by the TV show Charmed. It was important for Jodie to visit this house because she believes in "the magic of compassion, the magic of change, the magic of recovery, the magic of the moment, [and] the miracles that happen."

Greetings! I am Jodie. I have officially joined the Council as an employee after doing some volunteer work for the organization.

Fulfilling is the word that I choose as I begin my work here. Foremost of which, is to improve and expand the Council’s 24/7 Helpline in order to better serve the needs of problem gamblers, their families and the health care practitioners and providers who support them. The Helpline is one of the backbones of the Council. It gives substance to its slogan – “We understand the problem. We can help.” Through the Helpline people experiencing problems with gambling and their family members can talk to a person about issues surrounding their own or their loved one’s gambling.

One of the hardest issues those with a gambling disorders deal with is feeling that they are alone in their problems. They are not. You are not. I am not. At the Council, we have many resources that we can send out to people and resources we can direct people to that can help them to know that they are not alone in the problem. The visual image that I have is the problem gamblers standing there and a crowd of people behind him like in the popular cell phone provider ad. “Are you there?” the problem gambler asks; and the Council – the crowd- says “Yes – we hear you loud and clear and are here to help.”

As a graduate of St Lawrence University and Indiana University, I have experience in both the academic world and the school of hard knocks (most self-inflicted).  I spent over 30 years working in Higher Education and am currently working toward my license in Addiction Counseling.

By nature I am an optimist who believes that we, to some extent, create our reality by thinking clearly and positively about what it is we want out of life. One of my favorite illustrations of this idea is the scene in Star Wars V when Luke is training with Yoda in the swamp. He cannot believe in the power of the force and when asked to lift a star fighter out of the swamp, he tries and fails. As we see mighty Yoda do it, Luke says ‘I don’t believe it’. Yoda turns and says, ‘that is why you failed.’ Luke did not see in his heart that he had the power to do what Yoda asked. He could not visualize success.

I have been lucky and I have helped make my own luck. A lot has to do with positive thinking and faith. Faith that things will work out. Faith that believing is better than not believing, that moving forward – however slowly- is better than standing still, that the glass is half full.  It takes no more energy to think an optimistic thought rather than a pessimistic thought. It takes faith I suppose that thinking positively pays off but really why choose the alternative.

Abraham Lincoln said, “People are about as happy as they make themselves out to be.” I know in reality this line of thinking is simplistic and does not – cannot work for everyone – but it works for me and I believe very strongly in its power for good.

# # #

THE COUNCIL WELCOMES RACHEL FLAHERTY

by Rachel Flaherty, Program Specialist

Hello all – My name is Rachel Flaherty, and I am just thrilled to be an employee of the Mass Council.  I come from the west coast, with my young childhood years being in Southern California and my teen & early adulthood years in Washington State, then relocating to Massachusetts in 2004.

I received a BA in Human Services from Western Washington University, in Washington State.  In most recent years, I have worked for the council on special events as a Contingent Employee, been a member on the Council’s “Recovery Advisory Board”, completed the “Recovery Coach Academy” training, as well as, attended and participated in various addiction and/or recovery based meetings and events.  I am excited to bring to the Council, a level of empathy and understanding, coupled with motivation and drive to make a difference in the lives of those affected by the illness of compulsive gambling. 

I look forward to gaining additional knowledge, which I have already begun to receive, efforts in increasing public awareness by representing this wonderful organization at community meetings, conferences, etc., having a role in the development and/or implementation of tasks that will increase Massachusetts capacity to provide efficient and effective services to individuals, families, employers, communities, etc.

"Give Responsibly. Lottery Tickets Aren't Child's Play."

by Sasha Russell, Program Specialist, Communications, The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling 



As the gift-giving season approaches, many people look to scratch ticket games as a quick, easy and “fun” gift to give to people of all ages. According to the Massachusetts Lottery fiscal year 2011 financial report (found here), they made a revenue of over $3 billion on instant games alone. While these games may seem harmless and fun for all ages, it is important to adhere to the law and not give those under 18 this type of gift. According to McGill University’s International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems website (youthgambling.com), retrospective studies have shown that “adult problem gamblers reported an earlier onset of gambling.” The starting age range varies only slightly between different studies, but they all seem to cover at least the 9-19 year old as the starting range for people at high risk for having problems with gambling.

Many people do not see the dangers that gambling at a young age can bring, as it has become common and accepted in our society. It is so widely accepted that it is even in our daily vocabulary without even realizing it. Take a moment to think about how many times a day you say, or hear someone else say, “I bet you...” or “What are the odds of that?” or “You’re a winner!”

Living in a competitive world makes it easy to say those phrases without thinking of the negative consequences they can impose. This is why, especially around the holidays, people don’t think twice about buying their children or nieces and nephews a scratch ticket with a friendly looking snowman, or other welcoming design, on it. I know that was one of my favorite parts of Christmas. We would head down to my grandparents’ house and on their tree would be envelopes marked with the names of most people in the family. Even the adults couldn’t wait to open their presents because they knew what was in the envelope: a chance to be a winner; to have bragging rights that Christmas. Of course, if someone did win a small sum of money, depending on who gave the scratch tickets, the winnings were expected to be split – even in some cases given back! Fights would always ensue, and I eventually got “smart” and if I did win, I’d quietly put my ticket in my bag of toys for later to show my mom in private.

Secrecy is a major component of being a problem gambler, and if someone is taught to act that way at a young age, how will that influence them as adults? The Youth Gambling Problems website says that studies in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Europe and Australia have all “noted rising prevalence rates of youth involvement in both legal and illegal forms of gambling. While approximately 60% of adolescents report having gambled for money during the past year, 4-6% of adolescents presently have a serious gambling problem with another 10-14% of adolescents at-risk for developing a serious gambling problem.”

The Youth Gambling Problems website also describes negative consequences that are associated with adolescent problem gambling. Problematic gambling has been linked with increased delinquency, criminal behavior and the disruption of relationships with family, friends and other peers. Dr. Mark Griffiths told the audience at the CT Council’s Annual Conference that when it comes to young people gambling, the loss tends to be more related to time than money. This loss of time and preoccupation with gambling affects overall school performance and work activities. However, many times the loss of relationships also occurs. The Council’s own Teens Know Your Limits website (TKYL) is a great resource to help teach young people about responsible, legalized gambling. 

All in all, we wish everyone to have a safe and healthy holiday season. In support with The International Center for Youth Gambling Problems at McGill University (Canada), the National Council on problem Gambling (US) and the Massachusetts State Lottery, we ask you to help us lower the risk of children becoming problem gamblers and “Keep the fun in the holidays – don’t purchase lottery tickets as gifts for underage children!”

Gratitude

grat·i·tude  [grat-i-tood, -tyood]  noun

the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful: He expressed his gratitude to the staff. (dictionary.com)

Thanksgiving Day marks the beginning of the Holiday Season. This season can be a stressful time, especially for those who are in recovery or for the loved ones of people in recovery. The season brings up many issues including: money, relationships and even, for some, an intensified loneliness. It’s important to remember during this time, just like the rest of the year – you are not alone. You are not alone in your struggle or your stresses. Thanksgiving is the time to start the season by reflecting on what you have and coming to the realization that it is enough; enough to push on through and enough to continue on your road to recovery, or to walk beside a loved one on their road.

Growing up, like most kids, I always wanted more and felt I never had enough. It seems to only be human nature to think this way. Through some hard times with friends and family, I was able to see that I always had what I needed – though it may not have always been what I wanted. That’s the funny thing about the words “want” and “need,” they tend to be interchanged easily to a fault of our own. As humans, having the ability to think and having free will takes away from having instincts to know what we need versus what we want. A way to change this mindset is to take a step back, take a breath and look at your life from the outside in. Look inward at how far you've come and all that you've accomplished during your struggles and always keep moving forward.

The Drug & Alcohol Rehab Asia  website has a great explanation of the important relationship between positive thinking and gratitude as a step in recovery, but is also helpful to anyone struggling. The site reads:

Positive thinking can greatly improve an in individual’s mental and physical health. It gives them energy and the confidence to do the things that will make their life better. Gratitude and positive thinking go hand in hand. In fact, it would not really be possible for people to experience much positivity if they are not happy with their life. If people feel grateful they will automatically be thinking positively.

Aspects of GA’s 12 steps, such as acceptance, admittance, humility, and amendments are all qualities of achieving and understanding gratitude. As Melody Beattie, author of Codependent No More, expresses, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, confusion to clarity. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”     

The Council would like to extend their gratitude to all those that support and are part of our organization. Every person who passes through our doors, whether literally or through other ways of communication, helps to make us who we are and strengthen us as individuals and as an organization. Thank you.

We, at the Council,  wish you a happy, healthy and safe Thanksgiving.

If you are going to be alone on Thanksgiving, please remember most meetings are still in session. If you have a phone list for your meeting, please double check that your meeting is still happening. If not, or you are new to GA and Gam Anon, please call the GA Helpline at 888-GA-HELPS (888-424-3577) ; if you are in  Western Massachusetts, please call: (855) 222-5542.

Here is a list of Thursday meetings that have been cancelled for Thanksgiving Day:

Wilmington

Newton, Boston College

Boston (Mass Council location)

Here is a list of Thursday meetings that should be in session on Thanksgiving Day. If you have a phone list for your meeting, please double check that your meeting is still happening. If not, or you are new to GA and Gam Anon, please call the GA Helpline at 888-GA-HELPS (888-424-3577) ; if you are in  Western Massachusetts, please call: (855) 222-5542 :

First Church of Christ (Corner of Rt. 5 & Rt. 192) - 6:30-9:00 PM, Thursday
763 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow, MA 01106
Longmeadow, MA
Region: West
Gam-anon. Regular.

Eagles Club - 7:00 PM, Thursday
71 City Hall Ave., Gardner, MA 01440
Gardner, MA
Region: West
GA. Discussion Meeting.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Near Lowe's) - 7:30 PM, Thursday
389 Greenwich Ave., Warwick, RI 02886
Warwick, RI
Region: Rhode Island
Non-Smoking

St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Near Lowe's) - 7:30 PM, Thursday
389 Greenwich Ave., Warwick, RI 02886
Warwick, RI
Region: Rhode Island
Gam-Anon

St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Near Apex) - 9:30-11:00 AM, Thursday
389 Greenwich Ave., Warwick, RI 02886
Warwick, RI
Region: Rhode Island
Non-Smoking

Hampstead Congregational Church (Rt. 121) - 7:30 PM, Thursday
61 Main Street, Hampstead, NH 03841
Hampstead, NH
Region: New Hampshire
Open meeting, no smoking

First Church Of Christ (Corner of Rte. 5 & Rte.192) - 10:00 AM, Thursday
763 Longmeadow Street, Longmeadow, MA 01106
Longmeadow, MA
Region: West
GA

Plainville United Methodist Church (Intersection of Rt. 106 and Rt. 1A) - 7:30 PM, Thursday
16 E Bacon St., Plainville, MA 02762
Plainville, MA
Region: South East
Open Meeting; Non-smoking

Jordan Hospital (Exit 5 off Rt. 3), Boynton Conference Rm. - 7:30 - 9:00 PM, Thursday
275 Sandwich St., Plymouth, MA 02360
Plymouth, MA
Region: South East
GA, Open, Non-smoking, Intensive Step Meeting

United Memorial Methodist Church - 7:00 PM, Thursday
176 Somerset Avenue, Taunton, MA 02780
Taunton, MA
Region: South East
GA, Non-smoking

St. Joseph the Worker Church (Intersection of Rt. 14 and Rt. 58, across from police station) - 7:00 PM, Thursday
1 Maquan St., Hanson, MA 02341
Hanson, MA
Region: South East
GA, open-meeting, 

Christ the King Parish, Rt. 151 & Jobs Fishing Rd. - 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM, Thursday
5 Jobs Fishing Rd, Mashpee, MA 02649
Mashpee, MA
Region: Cape
GA; Regular; Non-Smoking

Fellowship and Understanding

by Sasha Russell, Program Specialist, Communications, The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

On November 3^rd, several members of the Council attended the Mini-GA Conference in Brockton, MA.  This was a great way for a couple of the newer members to get acquainted with the people from GA and Gam Anon. By the Council taking part in these meetings; we are able to grow not only as an organization, but as individuals. Listening to participants and their stories helps to strengthen our bond, as everyone who attended would attest to.

Everyone felt the environment was very welcoming, as Program Specialist Amanda said. She enjoyed everyone’s willingness to chat and “just get to know one another.” In the first session Amanda attended, speakers discussed the importance of creating connections and friendship within the fellowship. The analogy of a tree’s root system was used, “If you have ever found yourself in the midst of a storm, you will certainly have noticed that some trees can weather it better than others.” That statement is symbolic of the importance of these connections and strong bonds that people make by being a part of the fellowship.  

 

The Council’s new Data and Research Director, Phil, comes to us from the lottery industry and his eyes were opened as he listened to people’s stories. As many people in the fellowship remarked, “We are not bad people, but sick people trying to get well. It is one day at a time and it may take the rest of our lives to do it.” Phil left with an even better understanding of not only GA and Gam Anon, but the responsibility and importance of the Council and its mission.

 

Program Specialist Rachel said that by listening to the “powerful and inspiration journeys, that were shared by so many, of how each has found and/or is finding a way over those hurdles to be happier, healthier, more fulfilling days, shows me the power of the principals of GA’s 12 steps.”

 

During the session entitled “Six Words,” Jim, Phil and I were moved by what we learned. Our Prevention and Recovery Consultant, Jim, has lived the past 28 years in recovery for drugs and alcohol, so having belonged to another 12 step fellowship, he was still unable to guess what six words would be the focus of the discussion. As it turns out the six words were: Courage, Wisdom, Serenity, Honesty, Open-mindedness and Willingness.  The first three are themes from the Serenity Prayer, and the last three come from HOW, which stands for “How It Works.” Coming from two different sides of the road to recovery, both Jim and I were impacted by our ability to identify with the words and the stories of the speakers. One man said, “I can’t do this by myself. Those are my six words, and I needed to have courage, wisdom, serenity, honesty, open-mindedness and willingness to admit that to myself.” I found that moment to be very powerful, as I looked around the room and noticed quite a few nods of agreement from the mixed crowd. Those are words that everyone could relate to, everyone in that room had their struggles, everyone in that room needed to be there and because they were there, know they are not alone and have someone or many someones by their side. As Jim said, “The inner struggle with addiction and the joys of recovery were the same.”

 

Communications Director, Margot, has been going to the Mini-Conference for many years. Every year she takes the knowledge that she learns from others and applies it not only to her work with the Council, but also in her personal life and relationships. While in the “Making Friends in the Program” workshop, one man talked about the want as a compulsive gambler to surround himself with other gamblers – to help him feel more “normal.” The same goes for him today, but now he surrounds himself with others who are in recovery. By doing this, he is able to build relationships which help him to be a better person. “Water always seeks its own level,” is how he described this process.  Margot understands this statement not only literally that “without other forces acting on water (such as wind) then the surface will be level. Water will fill whatever container it is in and the top of one side will be the same height as the top as the other;” but also the deeper metaphor behind it. Society has a way to equalize itself; “people tend to be drawn to others whose points of view, values and lifestyles are similar to our own. “

 

Overall, I think everyone who attended the conference would take away the same all-around theme and reasons as to why GA works for so many people. As Margot said, “Support, shared concerns, lifestyle changes and the positive “force” of friendship keep “the water” rising to its healthiest and most fulfilling level.”

 

# # #

Underground Youth Football Gambling

by Sasha Russell, Program Specialist, Communications, The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

 

Law enforcement agencies around the world were busy during the month of October, with heavy focus on illegal gambling rings. After long investigations, at least 130 people involved in major gambling rings in America, Israel and China were apprehended. Three were based online and the other covered three Southern Florida counties. While many times we discuss problem gambling in terms of personal well-being, it is also important to look at the impact gambling has on our community; especially illegal gambling. The pulling of lottery numbers in Massachusetts started as a game played in the underground. Looking at how far this state has come since then, it is interesting to see how illegal gambling has shaped our society.

ESPN uncovered the ring in Southern Florida after noticing the crowd at several South Florida Youth Football (SFYF) games seemed to become less family friendly as the day grew on. Many adult men filled the stands, openly exchanging money, even while local police were present. ESPN’s program On the Line (you can watch the full story here: OTL: Youth Sports Gambling Operation Busted) set up hidden cameras and worked with the local police to investigate the illegal gambling that was being practiced openly; even in front of local police officers. After 18 months, nine men were arrested. These men ranged from drug dealers to the league’s own coaches. The ringleader, Brandon Bivins, was the president of one of the SFYF’s most successful teams: Fort Lauderdale Hurricanes.

 

In light of this recent event, SFYF has issued an Anti-Gambling policy and has committed to forming the Stop Youth Gambling Task Force. Part of this initiative is to develop community-wide strategies to address gambling on youth sports by working in cooperation with local law enforcement, community organizations and concerned citizens. They also plan to launch an education campaign to “help parents understand how gambling, illegal recruiting and acceptance of payments” have negative consequences and can hurt their child’s future. Considering the league’s website states that the “sole purpose of the league is to benefit children” and with that, “assist in combating juvenile delinquency by providing and promoting the physical and emotional well being of young athletes,” the initiative is something that will hopefully turn not only the league, but the communities involved, around.

 

There are many social implications that will be affected by the halting of this illegal ring. Many people, parents and athletes alike, have grown to depend on the money being circulated as a result of how the teams perform. Those involved in the ring, such as Bivens, would pay off parents and athletes in exchange for having the child play on a particular team.  This is quite the opposite of the league’s mission. Instead of having guidance for the children of these impoverished neighborhoods to learn how to overcome the obstacles they may face in their lives, they are being given a short cut to disaster. According to ESPN’s report, this has been going on for years, and many former athletes have turned to a life of crime and remained involved in the illegal gambling activities. 

 

The Stop Youth Gambling Task Force does not have an easy road ahead of itself, and will hopefully not only keep a look out for illegal gambling, but also talk to the children and families about responsible gambling. Due to the heavy reliance on the payoffs from the illegal winnings, there would be no surprise if the ring began again once the smoke clears. Hopefully the parents and other role models of the communities will make educated decisions for themselves and their children, and the task force will stick to their word to ensure a safe place for children to convene and stay off the streets.  

 

# # #

THE COUNCIL WELCOMES SASHA RUSSELL

Hi, I am Sasha. I have recently started working in the Council’s Communication Department.

I am so excited to be here, and happy to say that I have already begun diving right into the many upcoming projects and already attended my first conference– and it’s only Day 3!

 

I have my Master’s Degree in Applied Sociology, which I received from UMass Boston. I moved here after graduating with my Bachelor’s from Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY.

Compulsive Gambling is an issue that I have dealt with my whole life, though not as the gambler, but as a family member. Since I was young, my mom struggled with compulsive gambling. While she is currently in recovery, she has had a few relapses. It’s a battle that will never be gone from our lives, but I'm happy to be able to continue to help her, not just as her daughter but as a professional too. Many of my family members have struggled with substance abuse and gambling, both of which have helped carve the path my personal and professional life has taken.

I grew up in a small town, where many people don’t graduate high school, and if they do, they don’t always go on to or finish college. As I grew up, I watched a lot of family and friends get lost to drugs and alcohol. Always being so focused on that, it took me a long time to recognize and then cope with my mom being a compulsive gambler. I struggled with many of the decisions my friends and family members have made, and continue to make today – a key factor in my decision to move away from the area where I grew up, and remove myself those situations.

 
When I was in high school, I wanted to study World Religions in college. I went to a Catholic High School and thought that maybe religion would be a way to dissect why people make the decisions they do. It wasn’t until reaching college that I discovered Sociology and started being active in a couple different social action groups. Sociology has helped me to look at the world with open eyes, mind and heart.

Inspired by the struggles of my family and friends, my passion spread like a fire and I was determined to do work that was important to me and could help others in my situation. So, with a little hard work, and patience, I have finally found a place at the Mass Council.

# # #

IT’S A GREAT TIME TO GIVE!

by Amanda Poggenburg, Program Specialist, The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

We would like to challenge you to participate in an upcoming event hosted by the Giving Common. The event is The Giving Common Challenge, a 36 hour giving challenge beginning 8:00 a.m. on October 10^th, and ending at 8:00 pm on October 11^th.

The challenge will include the more than 500 non-profits that are a part of The Giving Common, a new resource for non-profits, communities, and donors / funders that was designed by The Boston Foundation in an effort to make charitable giving easier, faster, more organized and centralized.

 

The Giving Common is to non-profits as facebook is to individuals: a place where participants can all be listed, searched for, and explored. Each participating organization (which must be a certified 501(c)(3) non-profit) has the opportunity to create an in-depth profile to describe the organization and the work they do. Organizations are then searchable by issue area, location, and keywords. This makes it easier for people looking to donate to learn about charitable organizations. They can search through organizations and learn a little more about specific programs they could be contributing to.  In addition, for participating charitable organizations, The Giving Common makes it easier to submit grant applications to the Boston Foundation by pulling from information already included on the profile.

During the Challenge, all of the non-profit organizations that are a part of The Giving Common, including the Mass. Council on Compulsive Gambling, will be working together to raise money for our individual causes, while competing for prizes ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. The first 10 non-profits to get 50 donors receive a $1,000 prize and the organization that raises the most funds could win $25,000.

 The purpose of the Challenge is not only to raise money for the non-profits that are a part of The Giving Common, but to also raise awareness of The Giving Common. Ways to help us accomplish these goals are by telling others about the Challenge, posting on facebook or Twitter to let people know about the Challenge and how they can help, and checking out the Giving Common website for updates on our progress throughout the day.

 
Please consider helping us to raise both money and awareness for problem gambling by getting the word out and encouraging others to look for The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling on The Giving Common website at https://www.givingcommon.org/profile/1101854. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at amanda@masscompulsivegambling.org or call me at 617-426-4554.

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“Taking a Survey of Gambling Attitudes and Behaviors from Paper to Practice”

by Jim Wuelfing, Prevention and Recovery Support Services Director
The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

This summer, I was at the annual conference of the National Council on Problem Gambling.  Members of the Mass. Council staff presented numerous time and we attended many sessions as well. 

I’m sure many of you have had the experience of going to a really nice session but didn’t get enough practical information to put the experience to much good use once you got back to the office.  One presentation, “Taking a Survey of Gambling Attitudes and Behaviors from Paper to Practice” by Mark Vander Linden of the Iowa Department of Health was entertaining, interesting, insightful and practical.

Mark’s presentation was about an attitude and experience survey administered in Iowa in 2011.  The primary purpose of the survey was to collect data from adult Iowans about types and frequency of gambling activities, prevalence of problem gambling and awareness and opinions of publically-funded gambling treatment services. 1700 Iowans participated in the survey.

To take a step back, one of the sessions I presented at the conference was in developing prevention programs.  I advocated the use of SAMHSA’s strategic planning framework where one of the first steps is to obtain useful data.  We certainly follow that framework when planning prevention activities here at the Council, but we often finding ourselves wishing for more data, especially more local (state specific data).  With the use of a process like the one in Iowa, we might find ourselves doing less wishing and more analyzing of practical local data.

To look at a couple of examples, the Iowa data showed that a large majority of residents (81%) never or seldom gamble and less that 1% gamble very often.  Mr. Vander Linden made the point that such information would be extremely valuable in social norms education.  Those that do gamble very often would see that they do not gamble in a way that was the norm.  One would also need to be sure not to alienate a large percentage of the population by always putting forward a problem gambling message.  One might be better served by congratulating folks who gamble without negative consequence and give risk reduction messages to help them stay that way.

Another piece of the Iowa data that I found interesting with potential practical use was the fact that 10% of those surveyed reported that an important reason they gamble is to win money to pay bills or use gambling as a distraction from everyday problems.  While 10% may not seem like a high number, it may be when you consider that these reasons to gamble are both significant risk factors for developing a more serious gambling problem.  In our prevention work, we seek to help gamblers who are not experiencing any negative consequences from their gambling to continue to gamble that way as well as helping gamblers who are experiencing some negative consequence to reverse that trend or not to progress further into negative consequences.  This kind of data would help in selecting more effective strategies and messages.

Of course, this is not local data.  But the session did encourage the Council staff to continue to seek additional state specific data.  Be looking for a survey coming your way!

Responsible Gaming Education Week, 7/30/2012-8/3/2012

by Kate Mowles, Communications Intern

This week the American Gaming Association (AGA) is hosting Responsible Gaming Education Week (RGEW). In response, the Mass. Council will be working alongside the National Center for Responsible Gambling to help spread awareness about problem gambling. Throughout the week we will be sharing some of our favorite facts & myths about problem gambling via twitter using #RGEW.

Responsible Gaming Education week has been held annually since 1998 by AGA to promote responsible gaming within the industry. It also helps to raise awareness of problem gambling. A lot of the focus from AGA has been on training casino employees on “underage and disordered gambling.” (AGA) We applaud the American Gaming Association for hosting the week.

At the Mass. Council, our mission is to reduce the social, financial, and emotional costs of problem gambling, and to promote a continuum of prevention and intervention strategies including: information and public awareness, community education and professional training, advocacy and referral services for problem gamblers, their loved ones and the greater community. RGEW provides a venue for us to work more closely with the national campaign to raise public awareness of the issues people face with gambling.

Have a favorite fact or myth about gambling? Tweet it at us or tag it with #RGEW. Make sure to follow @MassCouncilCG on twitter so you can see all of the facts we send out and share them with your followers!

For more information on Responsible Gaming Education week, check out the AGA site here: http://bit.ly/MpV3IO

The Council Welcomes Kate

Greetings! My name is Kate and I am an AmeriCorps Fellow working with the Council for the summer. My job is to raise public awareness through social media. So essentially, my job is to do what I do anyways! (I have two blogs of my own, I tweet regularly, and I consider Facebook the ultimate tool for keeping in touch with family and friends scattered across the globe).

So here’s a brief introduction as to who I am:

I am a rising senior at Babson College, located in beautiful Wellesley, Massachusetts. I have a passion for connecting with people, especially from different cultures. This passion has taken me all over the world. In the past year I’ve travelled to London, South Africa, South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong (quite the amazing adventure, you can read more about it on my travel blog: http://www.kmowles.blogspot.com/ ). I also love helping people. Pretty much everything I do is either community service or travel related…or both.

Already I have learned a great deal about the issues surrounding problem gambling. For instance, did you know that the prevalence rate of problem gambling in the United States is around 1-2%? Now, especially considering how big of a deal everyone made about the 1% during the Occupy Movement, this doesn’t seem all that high. That is, until you consider that number alongside other disorders:

·         Opioid use disorder (oxycontin, morphine): 1.4%

·         Cocaine use disorder: 2.8%

·         Amphetamine use disorder (methamphetamine, etc): 2%

·         Anti-social personality disorder: 3.6%

·         Obsessive-compulsive disorder: 1.6%

·         Schizophrenic disorder: 0.6%

·         Anorexia nervosa: 0.6%

·         Bulimia nervosa: 1%

So you’re telling me that more people have gambling disorders than schizophrenia or anorexia, combined? Exactly. But people don’t realize this. And that is exactly why the Mass. Council on Compulsive Gambling exists, and why I will be working on increasing the effectiveness and reach of the Council’s social media platforms.

I would love to hear from you. You can reach me at kate@masscompulsivegambling.org or 617-426-4554 with any feedback or questions : )