An amendment sponsored by Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has been added to the National Defense Authorization Act that would mandate a study to determine what resources should be allocated to fight gambling addiction among military personnel.
The Department of Defense operates about 3,000 slot machines at various overseas military bases. It also operates bingo. These operations provide millions of dollars in revenue to the DOD. If it is going to do that, said Warren, it should provide treatment and counseling for gaming addiction.
“By examining the risk of problem gambling among servicemembers and the resources currently available, this amendment is an important first step in helping members of the armed forces and their families who are affected by problem gambling,” wrote the senator.
Some studies show that armed forces members have a higher rate of gaming addiction than the general population.
