Springfield Grapples with Gambling Addiction Amid Gaming Growth

Big Wins for City, Hidden Losses for People? Video Game Gambling Raises Concerns

Springfield and Illinois are seeing serious cash roll in. This money comes from video gaming machines popping up everywhere. However, this financial boost has a hidden cost that’s worrying health experts. They are now raising concerns about the mental health of players getting hooked. Dr. Kami Harless explained, “We’ve seen really big jumps in gambling addiction in our community.” She emphasized, “It’s particularly affecting our younger folks.”

Money Keeps Flowing In

Last year proved incredibly profitable due to these games. Illinois actually collected over $800 million just from video gaming machines! Springfield businesses haven’t missed out either; they raked in over $52 million. The city itself reaped more than $2.5 million. Despite these significant financial gains, health professionals are deeply concerned about the potential for addiction.

Addiction Takes Center Stage

Indeed, gambling is becoming a primary concern for some individuals. Dr. Ayame Takahashi shared a troubling observation from her practice. “Some people come in,” she stated, “and tell me that substance use actually isn’t their main problem.” She continued, “They honestly feel gambling is truly what their biggest problem is.”

Why It’s So Worrisome

Furthermore, gambling issues often don’t occur in isolation. Dr. Harless pointed out a common connection to other struggles. She clarified that gambling addictions are frequently linked to substance abuse. Mental health conditions like depression and anxiety also often appear together with gambling problems. Plus, she highlighted a new challenge for healthcare providers. Gambling addiction’s recent classification change complicates treatment approaches. It now shares similar criteria with substance use disorders in the DSM-5.

Lack of Answers

The biggest hurdle, according to Dr. Harless, is simply a lack of knowledge. “The difficulty for us as healthcare providers,” she admitted, “is that we are really lacking research on how to best treat these addictions.” Longer, in-depth studies have simply not been done yet. Because of this gap in research, figuring out the most effective help is quite difficult when these problems are growing in our area.

The Real Price Tag

Even with the money flowing into city and state coffers, Dr. Takahashi encourages a deeper look. She questions if the financial benefits outweigh the potential harm to people. “I guess the city is benefitting from the money,” she pondered, “but at the same time, you ultimately pay in a different way.”

Hope for the Future & Where to Get Help

Despite these challenges, both doctors remain optimistic for those struggling. They strongly hope more people will seek help for gambling addiction. Need help for gambling? If you or someone you know could be struggling, support is available. Please reach out to the confidential national hotline at 1-800-GAMBLER. Reaching out to your own doctor or a mental health professional is also a great step.