Chance of Gambling Addiction in Texas Rises
Executive Director of Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling says, that Gambling practices in Texas are growing amid the time of confusion created by the epidemic and dissemination of the virus. It may lead to the possibility of rising gambling addiction.
Gambling Can't Fix Problems
Janet miller, Executive Director of the Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling, said there have been further calls to the organization's anonymous hotline recently relating to online gaming abuse or lottery play, adding that gambling is only a means of entertainment.
“…it is not meant to relieve pressure and to make money or to solve a financial issue.”
Janet Miller, Executive Director, Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling
Contrary to the assertion, 70% of callers to the association's anonymous hotline attempt to address their financial issues by gambling. And the confusion introduced by the market and employment constraints aimed at curbing the further spread of coronavirus is just exacerbating the problem.
Rising Level Of Tension
Since there are businesses that are actually disappearing and some of them will never reopen, people are worried with their work, paying their bills and keeping the roof under their heads. The confusion arising from the current health crisis poses concerns about the sustainability of people's jobs and potential prospects, which increases high levels of stress.
“When you have such a high-level stress with financial fears and concerns and you are married, that’s creating a very difficult situation.”
Janet Miller, Executive Director, Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling
The gambling addiction issues posed by the executive association come at a time when there is growing possibility that the expansion of the state's casinos could be back on the lawmakers' agenda. Sheldon Adelson, chairman of Las Vegas Sands, recently recruited eight high-profile lobbyists from Austin, Texas, sparking speculation of yet another effort to increase the state's gaming.
Expanding Gambling In Texas
Sheldon Adelson has raised the budget of the lobby to convince lawmakers to approve the gaming bill during the upcoming legislative session that begins in January. All 7 previous efforts to legalize Texas casinos have failed, but the casino mogul is not prevented from trying again as a new window of opportunity is emerging due to the disastrous economic effects of the virus epidemic.
Some politicians claim that allowing casinos would help keep Texas funds in the state since they are now streaming out of it to surrounding states' casinos, with each getting at least one land-based gambling property along the Texas state line.
But the most important factor in the appeal of lawmaking casinos in the Lone Star State may be the fact that Texas politicians are looking at a $4.6 billion shortfall and will presumably grab on any rope to fill the state coffers to reduce that number and casinos have a means of revenue that might be too costly to avoid.
