Problem Gambling in your workplace? Betcha !!

THE PROBLEM

Studies show that there may be as many as six to ten million problem/compulsive/pathological gamblers in the United States . Estimates range from 105,000 to 182,000 in Louisiana alone. Many of these problem gamblers are employed and there is a good chance one of them works for YOU.

WHAT IS IT?

Problem/compulsive/pathological gambling has been defined by Dr. Robert Custer as “an addictive illness in which the subject is driven by an overwhelming, uncontrollable impulse to gamble.” It is further characterized by Dr. Richard Rosenthal as, “a progressive disorder characterized by a continuous or periodic lack of control over gambling; a preoccupation with gambling and with obtaining money with which to gamble; irrational thinking; and a continuation of the behavior despite adverse consequences.”

WHAT DOES PROBLEM GAMBLING LOOK LIKE IN THE WORKPLACE?

MISUSE OF TIME

•  Late to work (due to late night card games, casino ventures or bad nights sleep form worrying about gambling–related problems.)

•  Long lunches (off-track betting, meeting bookmakers, loan sharks or creditors).

•  Mysterious disappearances in the afternoon (typically at the track, off track betting, afternoon card or dice games or listening to sporting events).

•  Vacation time used in isolated days rather than a block

•  Sick days taken right when they become available rather than allowed to accumulate ( uses sick day to gamble)

•  Excessive use of the telephone (calls to off-track betting, bookie, stockbroker, creditors or to find money; calls from bookie, broker or creditors-including loan sharks and loan companies).

•  Reads newspaper and sports literature at work (scratch sheet from race track, racing from, sporting news, etc.)

SIGNS OF OBSESSION WITH GAMBLING AND/OR DEBTS

• Unfinished projects
• Irritability
• Poor concentration
• Moodiness: mood depends on whether winning or losing at the moment and whether money is available for gambling
• Has an obsessive interest in the scores of sporting events, results or horse or dog races, lotteries or illegal number games

GAMBLING ON COMPANY TIME

• Use of lunch hour to gamble and extensions of this into work time (concerns with money owed to co-workers and arguments among employees over money owed)
• Office paycheck pool (the person running this may be a compulsive gambler).
• Office sports pool
• Collects money for off-track betting, lottery (going ostensibly to help co-workers, but actually going so he or she can place bets)
• Organize trips to Atlantic City , Las Vegas or other gambling junkets
• Is the runner for bookmakers who operate within the company (many runners are themselves compulsive gamblers and become runners to gamble more)
• Is a bookmaker (many bookmakers are compulsive gamblers more and to have more “action”)
• Receives visits or phone calls on company time from strangers (stranger may be a bookmaker collecting a debt)

CREDITOR PROBLEMS

• Owes money to loan shark who operates at the company
• Pay is garnished
• Credit union loans (numerous often are not the only loans the employee has)
• Receives advances on pay
• Borrows from co-workers (some may be loan sharks)
• Arguments with co-workers over money owed
• Borrows money from company

EMBEZZLEMENT, EMPLOYEE THEFT AND OTHER ILLEGAL ACTIVITY

• Steals money from company
• Steals items from company for resale to pay gambling debts
• Sells items at work (either personal property or stolen goods)

SOME QUESTIONS OFTEN ASKED

Q. Isn't problem gambling a financial problem?

A. No, problem gambling is an emotional problem. Financial problems are created, as are marital, employment and legal problems as a result of this emotional problem. In reality, of the many serious difficulty created for a compulsive gambler, the financial problem will often end up being the easiest to solve once the individual enters recovery.

Q. What are some characteristics of a compulsive gambler?

• Inability and unwillingness to accept reality by escaping into the dream world of gambling
• Emotional insecurity –a compulsive gambler is only comfortable when “in-action”. They feel secure when gambling
• Immaturity (i.e. a desire to have “all the good things in life” with no great effort)

In addition, the following signs of trouble mean that a crisis may be on the horizon:

• A discrepancy between income and assets
• Money and assets disappearing, or suddenly appearing
• Secrecy about money
• Vagueness or double-talk about assets, income and expenses
• Unexplained bills, debts or payments
• Loans from legal and illegal sources
• Urgent requests to family and friends for money
• Decline in savings
• Sales of stock with no reinvestment
• Reports that equipment and jewelry are being repaired or have been lost or stolen
• Mysterious and angry phone calls and messages