Friday, March 23, 2007

The number of problem gamblers doubles within a 50-mile radius of a casino
or slot machine parlor once one is built, according to a professor and
problem gambling expert speaking Wednesday in Waterville. Gambling might be
good for the economy, but it can have devastating effects on gamblers who
potentially could lose everything, said Thomas Broffman, an assistant
professor at Eastern Connecticut State University. Broffman said gambling
carries with it all of the pitfalls of drug addiction, but with three
important distinctions: It is legal, socially acceptable and readily
accessible - just look at the supermarket checkout lines where Maine State
Lottery Commission scratch ticket machines stand ready for the left over
buck. Broffman's comments came Wednesday during a presentation at the
Waterville Elks Club as part of a series of workshops being held across the
state as part of "problem gambling awareness week." The workshops are
sponsored by the Maine Office of Substance Abuse.