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March 10, 2003 Contact: Jeffrey J. Marotta (503) 945-9709, email: jeffrey.j.marotta@state.or.us or Patricia Feeny (503) 945-6955 Study says increasing numbers of gamblers are being treated More Oregonians than ever are entering into problem gambling treatment, according to a report released today by the Oregon Department of Human Services. "This report's findings are very encouraging," said Jeff Marotta, Oregon's Problem Gambling Services Manager. "Last year ushered in a new era in problem gambling services in Oregon. New treatment programs were opened, innovative prevention and outreach programs were initiated, and treatment agencies excelled at meeting new performance criteria aimed at improving quality of care." He said that even though Oregon has received national recognition for its problem gambling programs, the effectiveness of the state's efforts were not known until the release of this report. The report was prepared by the consulting Wilsonville-based firm of Herbert & Louis to investigate the effectiveness of Oregon's gambling treatment programs. The study found that the number of problem gamblers entering into treatment increased nearly 40 percent over the previous year and there was a 66 percent increase in the number of family members entering counseling. "Even with phenomenal growth, the statewide gambling treatment system continued to provide effective care," the report said. Based on a follow-up survey with people who went through gambling treatment in Oregon, 90 days after they left treatment, about three-fourths of them found the help they needed to stop or reduce their gambling. By law, 1 percent of the Oregon Lottery's net proceeds are dedicated to a problem gambling treatment fund, which yields $3.2 million this year. This fund is used to support 17 regional problem gambling prevention programs, 30 outpatient programs, three short-term residential programs, one telephone counseling program, and the toll-free Problem Gambling Helpline (877) 2 STOP NOW. "We wanted to make sure that gambling treatment funds are being used wisely," Marotta said. "The state spends an average of $715 to treat a problem gambler. This is a good investment when considering the research that finds each problem gambler accounts for between $4,000 and $61,000 annually in social costs." According to the report, of the 1,380 gamblers who received treatment last year, 74 percent were hooked on video poker and 10 percent on slot machines. While the average gambling-related debt was $22,840, several individuals reported gambling debts exceeding $100,000. Other findings of the report:
The full report can be found at www.gamblingaddiction.org |
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