Myths about gambling your fast track to a problem

Transcription

1 Myths about gambling your fast track to a problem For activities in your community, visit

2 Within Limits 2008: March is Problem Gambling Prevention Month Can you Spot the Gambling Myth? You have a better chance of winning if you play your lucky numbers. Gambling can be a good way to get rich. The more you gamble, the more likely you are to win a lot of money. If you almost win at a slot machine, you are due for a win soon. These are ALL gambling myths. Ontarians are Rich in Money-Related Gambling Myths The Responsible Gambling Council presented Ontario adults with gambling myths and gambling facts and asked them if they agreed or disagreed with the statements. Almost one-quarter (22.5%) of Ontario adults believed at least one myth about earning money by gambling. To help set the record straight, Within Limits: Problem Gambling Prevention Month returns for a fifth year. Within Limits is an awareness program designed to provide people who choose to gamble with the information they need to make informed decisions. Within Limits focuses community attention on the risks of problem gambling, ways to limit those risks, realistic expectations of winning and losing and where to get help with a problem. For most people, a game of bingo, poker or blackjack is a source of entertainment, but that s not the case for the 3.4 per cent of Ontarians with a gambling problem. Within Limits is the largest problem gambling prevention program in the world, reaching more than three million households through local information, events and interactive displays in gaming facilities. Thanks to partner organizations like COSTI Immigrant Services and Chinese Family Services of Ontario, Within Limits now provides information in 17 different languages. For a full list of Within Limits activities in your community, please visit: Within Limits is currently taking its interactive displays to communities across the province, delivering awareness messages and information. The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) is an independent, non-profit organization committed to problem gambling prevention. RGC designs and delivers highly effective awareness programs. The Council also promotes the identification and adoption of best practices in problem gambling prevention through research and information dissemination. The Responsible Gambling Council gratefully acknowledges the Government of Ontario, Ministry of Health Promotion, for its support of Within Limits: Problem Gambling Prevention Month. For more information about the Responsible Gambling Council, visit: 2

3 How much of what you know about gambling is actually true? In November 2007, the Responsible Gambling Council put Ontario adults to the test to see if they could spot common gambling myths among gambling facts. What did we find out? Adults were able to positively identify a number of myths and facts in the line-up of statements, but money and gambling often flew under the radar. Here s what we found out: The myths with the highest level of agreement were related to money and gambling. Almost one-quarter (22.5%) of Ontario adults surveyed believed at least one myth about earning money through gambling. One out of ten adults think gambling can be a good way to get rich. Monica White, Ph.D., Director of Research and Information, Responsible Gambling Council The Top 3 Gambling Myths in Ontario had to do with money: Gambling can be a good way to get rich. Eleven per cent of Ontario adults agreed. The more you gamble, the more likely you are to win a lot of money. Almost nine per cent (8.7%) of Ontario adults agreed. Gambling is an easy way to make money. Just over seven per cent (7.3%) agreed. When it came to identifying gambling facts, Ontario adults were for the most part successful. One glaring exception was the fact: Gamblers usually lose. Just over ten per cent (10.3%) of Ontario adults disagreed with this true statement. On a positive note, more than 96 per cent (96.3%) agreed with this gambling fact: If you spend more than you can afford, this is a sign of a gambling problem. If you choose to gamble, it is important to separate gambling fact from gambling fiction. Belief in gambling myths can lead to a gambling problem. Think you re immune to gambling myths? Take the quiz on page 7 and find out. 3

4 Ontario Woman Finds Help After Gambling with her Future When we meet inside the COSTI Immigrant Services office, Carolina, a petite woman with close-cropped grey hair, seems guarded. But when she speaks in Spanish to her counsellor Vivian, Carolina becomes animated, laughing and rubbing her cheek, telling us about a well-aimed toy thrown by her grandson. Carolina speaks English but prefers Spanish with family and friends. And when she decided to get help for her gambling problem, Carolina wanted a counsellor who spoke her language and understood her culture. I can express myself and my feelings more truthfully, she explains. Carolina moved to Canada from Central America 35 years ago. I was the happiest person in the world, says Carolina. Everything I left behind, I loved. But I felt I had gotten everything I could out of my country. Thoughtful and contemplative, she starts her story hesitantly, tears springing to her eyes when she speaks about her 4 husband. I am ashamed because I gambled away what we worked so hard to save. Carolina and her husband started a business together in Southern Ontario shortly after they were married. It thrived, and as their children grew, Carolina s husband became more focused on the business, while Carolina found herself with more time on her hands. She started going to the casino every week for something to do. Carolina s trips to the casino became more frequent and she would usually go alone, sometimes not returning home until 2 or 3 in the morning. A calm and gentle man, Carolina s husband worried about her gambling, but didn t try to stop her. Instead, he d quietly ask her how much she had lost. I always lied about how much I lost, says Carolina. I would go with $200 and it was not enough. Then $500. Then I started charging $1500 on my credit card. Carolina s gambling involved a very complex system of superstitions and myths. She was at the casino on the seventh of every month and would never enter at the unlucky hour of 6 p.m. Now able to laugh at how complicated a trip to the casino had become, Carolina is also troubled by it. I believed that if I pressed the button on the slot machine at the stroke of midnight, I would win millions. And I loved to go to the casino on Saturday and Monday, because I believed the slot machines would be full of money from Friday and Sunday night. Watching his mother get more and more caught up in gambling, Carolina s I would be down to my last three $100 bills, but I couldn t leave. I wanted to lose everything so I could just go home and sleep. son had a plan to keep her out of the casino. He gave me a toy slot machine to play at home. But if I won on that little machine, I took it as a sign to go to the casino. Carolina would never enter the casino without her formidable collection of lucky charms. She carefully describes the significance of each charm and the job it performed from a suede pouch of birch bark from the Manitoulin Islands to chili pepper charms. The chili peppers would stop the envious people waiting for my machine from sending me bad vibes. When asked what she thinks about these beliefs now, Carolina says, It s all a lie. At first, Carolina didn t want to stop gambling altogether, but knew she needed help. I would be down to my last three $100 bills, but I couldn t leave. I wanted to lose everything so I could just go home and sleep. Her first step was to call the Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline. She made return visits to the casino, and on one of her trips, was offered an upgraded player s card. The card s expiry date landed on a day of great personal meaning. When I saw that date, I had to stop. It was time. She continued playing until this self-imposed d e a d l i n e. On my final visit, I went with $700 and lost it all. Carolina has this advice for someone with a gambling problem: Go for help. But at the same time, only you can help yourself. If you don t believe you have a problem, you won t change. Carolina struggles with her gambling problem every day. The pain she put her family through and the debt she has racked up, weighs heavily on her. She continues to see Vivian weekly and feels a great sense of relief just talking and facing the truth. I hope that someone in a situation like mine can reflect on my story and stop gambling. It s not too late. I have lost so much, but I feel I can save my money and start over again.

5 Gambling Fast Facts What games are Ontarians playing? More than 52% of Ontarians have played the lottery in the course of a year Internet 1.7 Over a million Ontarians are affected by problem gambling: 9.6% of Ontarians report being negatively affected by someone else s gambling, almost doubling from 5.2% in 2001 Casino Table Games 6.5 Card or Board Games 8.5 Casino Slots (Ontario) Scratch Tickets Lottery Tickets 16.5 One-in-five Ontarians play poker for money Frequency matters the more you gamble, the more you are at risk. Jon Kelly, CEO, Responsible Gambling Council How much time do internet gamblers spend online? 11.7% gamble daily 13.2% gamble at least once a week Poker in Ontario 6.9% of year-olds have a gambling problem. The rate of problem gambling among the general adult population is 3.4%. On average, gamblers without problems spend 1.5% of their personal income on gambling. People with severe gambling problems spend 21% of their personal income. 11% of Ontario adults think that gambling is a good way to get rich. Ontario has 10 - Commercial and Charity Casinos Permanent Bingo Facilities 18 - Major Horse Racetracks 23,434 - Slot Machines Gaming Tables 10,798 - Lottery Ticket Outlets 16% of Ontario poker players are playing once a week or more often ProblemGambling.ca is Ontario s new, bilingual online destination for information and resources on gambling and problem gambling. Supported by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), ProblemGambling.ca has a lot of information about gambling, including helpful tools for people experiencing problems with gambling and resources for families and concerned significant others. Visit and explore ProblemGambling.ca to discover the ways in which it works for you. The site offers: Facts about gambling that you should know Material including tips on how to keep your gambling safe, a quiz to evaluate your gambling, a self-help workbook and more Information about counselling and getting help Information, tools and strategies for use by helping professionals (such as doctors, financial counsellors and teachers) to help them identify and support people with gambling problems CAMH also has a caring group of counsellors, trainers and research scientists committed to helping people reduce the harm caused by problem gambling in their lives. For more information about counselling contact us toll-free in Ontario 1 (888) or in Toronto at (416) or visit ProblemGambling.ca Sources: Responsible Gambling Council (2006) Gambling and Problem Gambling in Ontario 2005 Responsible Gambling Council, Ipsos-Reid (2006) Poker Poll Canadian Partnership for Responsible Gambling (2007) Canadian Gambling Digest Responsible Gambling Council (2007) A Survey of Gambling Myths Among Ontario Adults 5

6 How to Take Control of Your Debt One of the most unmistakable signs of a gambling problem is spending more money than you can afford. Debts start to mount, past due notices pile up and bank statements tell a grim story. Frank, who hasn t gambled since 1999, talks about how gambling affected his finances, I was borrowing from relatives to try to stay ahead of the creditors, or to even buy groceries. I d go to the casino convinced I was only one good win away from clearing up all the debts and keeping my wife from ever knowing there was a problem. The quick fix never happened. The walls closed in around me and there was nowhere to run. I had to stop and face the reality that I couldn t hide my problem any longer. After getting help for himself, Frank came clean to his wife and family. My wife was in shock when she realized our finances were in a shambles. We were about to lose the car, were in danger of being evicted from our home. She was angry and hurt. Frank made an offer to his creditors to pay off a portion of his debts over a four-year period. He took on a part-time job on top of his day job, working seven days a week. We paid off the creditors and have recently re-established our credit rating. It wasn t easy, but I felt it was my responsibility. Many people, from all walks of life, can find themselves in financial difficulty, their income reduced through illness, unemployment, divorce or past financial decisions. If you find yourself in financial trouble, no matter what the cause, remember: you have options. What can I do to fix my financial problems? There are steps that you can take to reduce your debt: track spending, devise a budget and contact your creditors directly to negotiate lower payments over a longer period of time. But often, expert assistance is needed to help you get a clear understanding of the situation and take those first steps. This is where a credit counsellor can help. The credit counselling agencies provide free counselling, helping people to resolve their debt problems and teach them how to use money and credit wisely. The first meeting with a credit counsellor is a time to assess where you are financially. You will go over your income, monthly expenses and debt and discuss your options. Sometimes it s simply a matter of tracking your expenses and creating a budget, When people write down what they are spending, they gain some clarity and quickly realize where their money is going, says Elena Jara, a Creditor Relations Specialist and Education Coordinator with Credit Canada. So, what are my options? 1. Bankruptcy is a legal process performed under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, and should be used as a last resort an option only if you have no means of paying back your debt. You assign all your assets, except those exempt by law, to a licensed trustee in bankruptcy. It takes nine months from the date you file for the debts to be considered discharged. 2. Consumer Proposal is an option for those who don t want to declare bankruptcy. A repayment schedule is devised based on the amount owing and your income and a settlement is reached. For example, if someone s debt is 6 We try to encourage people to get in touch with us before they get in trouble. $30,000, the debt repayment may be 30% of the total debt, with three to four years to pay it back depending upon income. This option is also negotiated through a trustee. 3. Debt Repayment is a service offered by counselling agencies. The credit counselling agency contacts all creditors, informs them that you have signed up for debt repayment and sets up a timeframe for monthly payments. People most commonly take this route if they have assets that they would lose if they declared bankruptcy. The repayment schedule is three to four years depending on your situation. Counselling is free although there is a fee associated with the Debt Repayment process. The fee is based on your income, but the most a payment would ever cost is 10% of the total debt. Ideally, it s better to tackle your financial troubles before they get to this stage. We try to encourage people to get in touch with us before they get in trouble, says Jara. That s why we have a strong focus on preventative education. Even if your credit is in good standing, credit counselling services can help you pay your debts off faster. To find a credit counselling agency in your area, visit or call IN DEBT ( ) to reach the OACCS Central Referral Service. For more information, visit

7 Can you spot the gambling myths? WITHIN LIMITS Investing in Research Take this quiz to see if you can separate gambling fact from gambling fiction: 1. True or False: If a slot machine hasn t had a recent win, it s due for one. 2. True or False: If you re on a losing streak, don t worry if you play long enough you ll win your money back. 3. Playing two or more slot machines at the same time is a good way to: a) Exercise those arm muscles b) Lose money faster c) Increase your chances of winning a jackpot 4. Choosing the same lottery numbers every week will: a) Improve your chances of winning b) Decrease your chances c) Make no difference 5. True or False: If you buy a lottery ticket every day, you ll likely win the jackpot sometime within the next 40 years. YMCA Youth Gambling Awareness Program 6. True or False: No matter what game they re playing, over time gamblers usually lose more than they win. 7. You can increase your chances of winning at a slot machine by: a) Putting more money in the machine at one time b) Pulling the handle instead of hitting the SPIN button c) Using a slot machine that hasn t paid out recently d) None of the above 8. True or False: If you flip a coin five times and you get heads each time, you are more likely to get tails on the next flip. 9. If playing roulette where red has come up 14 times in a row, the next best bet is to? a) Continue to bet on red b) Bet on black - It must be due. c) None of the above will improve your chances of winning 10. True or False: Gambling is a good way to make some quick, easy money. The YMCA Youth Gambling Awareness Program is an education and prevention program for youth between the ages of 8-24, in 18 sites across Ontario. The program provides education and prevention programming designed to reduce the potential harm associated with youth gambling. For more information, contact YMCA Youth Gambling Program Toll Free Directory The Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre (OPGRC) is an arms-length provincial agency responsible for the scientific study of the causes of problem gambling along with effective prevention and treatment responses. In 2008, OPGRC will release research that examines: 1. The effectiveness of a web-based animation designed to eliminate the core false beliefs that cause people to exceed time and money limits at the slots. This project is undertaken in partnership with the OLG. 2. The effectiveness of a letter sent to members of loyalty programs in Ontario casinos. The letter tells recipients about the impaired ability to control gambling, provides a self-assessment tool, and links them to an experimental treatment program for people who want to cut back or quit gambling. This project is also undertaken in partnership with the OLG. 3. How best to assess gambling and problem gambling among adolescents. This project is funded in partnership with seven other provinces and will introduce a state-of-the-art instrument called the Canadian Adolescent Gambling Inventory (CAGI). For more information about problem gambling research, please visit Answers to quiz: 1. False: Slots operate randomly, no matter how many wins or losses occurred in the past. The last game s result has no bearing on the next one. 2. False: The odds are programmed to favour the gaming operator. The longer you play, the more likely you ll lose. 3. B: Lose money faster. By playing more than one machine at the same time, you have increased your cost of play by 2 times or more. 4. C: Nothing can improve your chances of winning since each number is selected randomly. One set of numbers is as likely - or unlikely - to win as another. 5. False: At a rate of one ticket per day, it could take anywhere from one week to more than 80,000 years to win. On average, it would take around 20,000 years to win. (Source: Random Event Knowledge Test, 2000, Turner, N.) 6. True: The house edge ensures that, while it is possible to win in the short term, over time the gaming operator will be the winner. 7. D: There is no action a player can take to increase the chances of winning at a slot machine. 8. False: When the game is random, past results are irrelevant for predicting what will come up next. 9. C: Every spin is an independent event. Previous results have no predictive value on future outcomes. 10. False: Gambling is a good way to lose money. Almost everyone who gambles loses money in the long run. 7