A new survey from the Ohio for Responsible Gambling (ORG) has found that one in five people in the state are at risk of problem gambling.
The problem gambling rate in the Buckeye state has tripled since 2012, as experts hope Problem Gambling Awareness Month, which is this month, will help to encourage people in the state to learn about the risks and resources available for problem gambling.
According to the survey, more than 1.8 million adult residents in Ohio can be categorized as at risk for problem gambling, while the number of people who were estimated to have a gambling disorder increased to 2.8%.
In the first year of legalized sports betting in Ohio, calls to Ohio’s Problem Gambling Helpline increased 55% and those in Ohio seeking clinical care for gambling increased 67% between 2022 to 2023.
Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, LeeAnne Cornyn, mentioned the resources available for those seeking help, including the awareness campaign ‘Pause Before You Play,’ a fully online version of the Self-Ban Program called TimeOutOhio.com, Gamban – an application that prevents a device from accessing more than 60,000 gambling websites and apps worldwide, and in the state fiscal year 2023, over 67,000 people in the state were screened for gambling disorder with over 1,100 receiving clinical care.
Cornyn, said: "March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month. With nearly 1 in 5 Ohio adults considered to be 'at risk' for problem gambling, the month serves as a prime opportunity to raise awareness, educate the public, and highlight critical prevention and treatment resources.”
In other news for Ohio, the Ohio Casino Control Commission released figures for casino revenue in the state for January.
Total revenue for the four reported casinos was valued at $75.2m, this represented a decrease year-over-year of 12.6%, and in fact amounts to a figure lower than any of the 12 months in 2023 recorded.
Once again, Jack Cleveland was the leader in the state for its total revenue, with the number reaching $21.2m in January 2024.
