The dramatic growth of the gambling industry, which includes state-run lotteries, casinos, sports wagering, Internet gambling, video poker, video keno and many other forms of betting, has had a significant impact on the older population. Estimates are that half of Americans over 65 gambled in the past year.
With New York preparing to undertake a major expansion of casinos, I conducted research to find ways to enhance the positive aspects of recreational gambling and reduce the risks of pathological gambling. I did this by accompanying groups of seniors on bus trips from New York to casinos in New Jersey and Connecticut.
Yes, there can be positive aspects to gambling. According to the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling, recreational gamblers reported better social support, lower levels of depression, higher self-health and cognitive functioning. This finding is consistent with my experiences, as the bus rides to the casinos were filled with laughter, enjoyment and friendship.
What's more, I discovered that the bus ride to the casino was also a respite for some seniors with dysfunctional home lives, especially for those who lived in fear of their spouses, families, neighbors or caregivers.
But their camaraderie ended when the bus arrived at the casino. An overwhelming majority of the riders played the slot machines or bingo, and their complete attention was devoted to their chosen game. They did not want anyone talking to them and distracting them.
While a significant number of seniors showed restraint — going to the buffet or taking a walk outside — some lost even more than they planned to spend and headed to the ATM to replenish their funds. Sadly, many seniors gamble out of addiction. Others, craving the social networking and the security provided by the casinos, gradually increase their trips to two or three times per week, which can quickly deplete cash that they had earmarked for necessities. This risk increases if these seniors live alone in unsafe neighborhoods, far from children, and feel alone and lonely.
As a result, they can become "hooked" on casino addiction as a prelude to gambling addiction.
For this reason, it is vital for New York to take steps now to prepare for the upcoming casino expansion. Surveys of people who care for and about older adults have found that there is an urgent need for a reliable helpline operated by trained people who can guide callers to helpful services. This helpline needs to be operated by social workers trained to help seniors address a wide range of issues, including compulsive gambling, loneliness, depression and addiction, since research has found that people with gambling disorders often have other behavior problems.
It is essential that the helpline operators be non-judgmental professionals. Seniors are often ashamed to let relatives, especially grown children, know they lost their money for necessities at the casino. As a result, older gamblers can become withdrawn and depressed. Previously non-alcoholic drinkers may increase their alcohol consumption and relatively quickly become alcoholic. Moreover, the combination of excessive alcohol with prescription and over-the-counter medications is especially dangerous for seniors.
To both relatives and professionals, outward signs of depression, loss of social connections, weight loss and negative behavior may seem like "normal aging conditions." They are not. Unfortunately, many older people with substance abuse problems, gambling addiction, depression and incomplete suicides do not seek treatment. They are often too ashamed to admit they have such a problem "at their age."
However, when you observe unusual behavior among older people who appear to be neglecting themselves, borrowing money from friends and relatives, using local and state "safety net" institutions and resources when they are receiving Social Security, pension checks and other types of income, it is time for you or them to talk to a trained professional. When issues such as depression, loneliness and self-destructive behaviors are treated at an early stage, the risk of spiraling into full-blown addictions and mental illnesses can be drastically reduced.
As it stands now, there are very few reliable resources to help seniors make informed decisions. Websites, texts or phone messages lack the needed human connection, especially when people have a difficult time expressing a predicament such as compulsive gambling.
This is why I strongly recommend that casino expansion in New York include a helpline operated by social workers so that callers will have confidence that help is available from non-judgmental problem-solvers.