In 2015, the Wisconsin Problem Gambling Helpline received 14,690 calls—just 41 less than the record set in 2014. Rose Gruber, director of Wisconsin Council and Problem Gambling, said calls to the helpline are “a double-edged sword. There are a lot of people with gambling problems in Wisconsin, but since they’re calling in, they’re acknowledging the problem.”
Gruber said callers’ average gambling debt is around $39,000, but, she noted, “We always take that number with a grain of salt because when people call us, a lot of times they don’t really have a clue what their debt amount really is.” Ed Ramsey, a retired addictions and mental health counselor, said the availability of gambling contributes to the debt load. “In the past, the availability wasn’t there. You had to go to Vegas or Atlantic City to do it. Now, it’s online and there’s at least a half-dozen casinos within an hour of Eau Claire. It’s everywhere,“ he said, adding, “You don’t see it because you can’t smell the blackjack table on them. The real key is susceptibility and availability.”
Gruber said about 70 percent of the helpline calls are related to casino gambling. However, Ramsey said, “What I’ve found is slots and casinos tend to be the more prevalent gambling outlets, although there’s more and more sports betting, especially this time of year with the Super Bowl coming up.”
Ramsey said despite the negatives that accompany problem gambling, people can get help. “Fortunately, in Eau Claire we have a really good recovery community through Gamblers Anonymous and some resources like that that people can tap into and get help from,” he said.
