The head of the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling says, thus far, there’s no evidence to suggest an increase in compulsive gambling in the Commonwealth during this time of coronavirus.
Mike Stone admits the data is for the period through March and April’s numbers are not in yet. With many forms of gambling on hold, Stone said problem gamblers could be re-evaluating their wagering, but that’s not too likely. “Although I guess there is some possibility that a person who is a gambling addict could have a revelation cause there’s not easy access to gambling, the likelihood is if they’re truly addicted gamblers, they’re going to find a way to gamble, regardless of what the situation is now,” explained Stone.
When restrictions ease and gambling resumes in public settings, Stone looks for a jump in gambling, but not necessarily an increase in addiction. He noted it’s a time when social gambling will return in larger numbers. “Those folks will more likely return to casinos and horse tracks because they miss it as an entertainment venue. That doesn’t mean that that increase in gambling will necessarily mean an increase in those that are addicted, but it could happen,” Stone said.
Stone said there is concern that more people are gambling online. He said contacts to the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling, through phone call or texts, run about one per day. Stone added an IPSOS report in 2018 showed 78% of adult Kentuckians had gambled in the last month. IPSOS is a multi-national market research and consulting firm. Stone said studies have shown about 1% of the population fall into the addicted gambler category and 3% as problem gamblers.
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