There is a significant problem in the United States when it comes to Sports Betting. Although it is fully legal only in Nevada, gambling on sports is as widespread across the United States as legalized forms of gambling. Unfortunately, online betting sites and local bookies do not contribute any of their share of the treatment and other social costs of the 6-8 million gamblers across the country with a serious gambling problem.
The proliferation of office pools, pre-game publicity, and open discussion and advice about the betting line in all the media serve as open invitations to place bets on sporting events all year round, but especially on Super Bowl Sunday, the single-most promoted sporting event of the year...with the growing status of an informal national holiday.
As Thanksgiving is the day when society is most concerned about feeding the less fortunate, it would be appropriate to view Super Bowl Sunday, the biggest gambling day of the year, as a time for society to focus concern about the millions of people whose gambling losses will be the biggest of the year and will result in desperate consequences for so many families across the country. We need to stop the pretense that only good can come from a day of extreme gambling, binging on alcohol and gorging on food. The negative effects of the uncontrolled combination of these related risk behaviors can be deadly. Help is available for these often co-occurring problems.
If gambling is causing a problem for you or your loved ones,
hope and help is one confidential call away:
1-800-34 NO BET
1-800-346-6238
Toll Free - 24 hours
