More children will become
fatherless, homeless, shamed
and plunged into poverty if
the $500 Loss Limit is removed.

The Loss Limit slows the desperation of gambling addicts, allowing the family time to discover the addiction and seek help. With the Loss Limit removed, a child's home can be lost in less than a day rather than several months.

In a survey of 120 homeless people living at the Atlantic City Rescue Mission shelter several years ago, 20 percent listed "gambling" as a contributing factor.
lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/gaming/2003/oct/29/515795695.html

"gambling is an addiction"
Missouri Department of Mental Health

"Pathological gambling is really
a huge public health problem,"
Dr. Susan McElroy, a psychiatry professor at the University of Cincinnati who studies and counsels compulsive gamblers. Gambling problems underestimated/The Cincinnati Enquirer/1.6.04

ADULT POPULATION OF MISSOURI IS 4,000,000
1-1/2% gambling addiction rate among adults* =
60,000
Missouri Families with Gambling Addicts

Families suffer:

Debt averaging $72,000...bankruptcy
Higher crime rate
(1/3 of prisoners are compulsive gamblers)

20% of gambling addicts attempt suicide
Spouses are 3 times as likely to commit suicide
Addict's children are 2 times as likely to commit suicide
Higher spouse and child abuse
More substance abuse and accidents

"It is a life-threatening disease"
William Gorman, commissioner of New York's Office of
Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Services

"Pathological gambling
is one of the fastest growing
mental health problems in the western world."
New England Journal of Medicine

Ironically, it's been found that stress-related illnesses associated with people with gambling problems, such as headaches, high blood pressure, anxiety and depression, also have been found in family members.
Buffalo News/www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030727/1046133.asp

Signs of Compulsive Gambling
at Work Include:

  • Chronically late for work. Unexplained absences or disappearances from work.
  • Leaves work early to gamble or meet bookie.
  • Reads gambling related material openly.
  • Excessive use of sick days.
  • Vacation time centered around gambling activity.
  • Does not take vacation time in large block.
  • Takes long lunch hours and breaks to play cards, buy lottery tickets, or other forms of gambling for money.
  • Frequently requests breaks to use phone.

The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey
WWW.800GAMBLER.ORG/ArticleDetails.aspx?ContentID=7

* National Gambling Impact Study Commission