CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gambling addiction hotlines are seeing an uptick in callers as more states legalize sports betting.
Experts say the callers are getting younger and are often men in the 20s and 30s. The trend isn't unexpected, according to officials who said Ohio saw a 55% increase in calls for addiction during the first year of legalized sports betting.
North Carolina legalized mobile sports betting in March, just in time for the ACC basketball tournament and March Madness. Nearly $200 million was wagered in the state during the first week of legal betting, according to lottery officials.
Over $23.9 million was bet on the first day, of which almost $12.4 million were promotional bets offered by sportsbooks to attract new customers. Bettors were paid over $12 million in winnings during the first 12 hours of sports gambling in North Carolina.
Opponents of sports betting say the rush of winning has a similar effect to doing illegal drugs. Some have called for restrictions on gambling advertisements, which are pretty much everywhere right now.
"Online gambling, sports gambling is the equivalent of gambling heroin," Les Bernal with Stop Predatory Gambling said. "You are going to unleash an incredible epidemic of child gambling because of the amount of advertising that comes along with online sports gambling."
Betting apps have warnings encouraging users to limit how much time they can spend on the app and how much money can be deposited and wagered, but those limits are set by users themselves. DraftKings and FanDuel, two of the biggest names in mobile sports betting, have options on their apps that allows users to ban themselves once they identify they have a problem. Art Klose, a clinical addiction specialist, told WCNC Charlotte that awareness is the key to responsible gambling, which can be difficult with virtual transactions.
"People tend to detach themselves because it's online," Klose said. "It's on an app on your phone, but you're losing real money."
If you are concerned about your gambling or worried about a friend, you can call the NC Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-877-718-5543. You can also contact the National Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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