Gambling Links

Responsible Gambling Council (Ontario):  Describes what is meant by "problem gambling", and identifies Ontario services providing problem gambling services. See: www.responsiblegambling.org/

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Mental Health and Addictions  (Saint Joseph's Care Group in Thunder Bay) has a Seniors and Gambling site. See: www.mha.sjcg.net/as/gambling/older_adults/tips.asp

"Gamble Scramble"  is a useful collection of gambling awareness games for older adults. http://www.mha.sjcg.net/media/pdf/gambling/games/Gamble_Scramble.pdf

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The Addiction Foundation Manitoba: See: www.afm.mb.ca

Description: Has a wealth of information on problem gambling as it relates to seniors. Included among the topics (click to go to page)

Seniors Problem Gambling Counsellors:

Manitoba

Deb Kostyk, MSW, RSW, CGC, 

Seniors and Gambling Prevention and Education Consultant

Addictions Foundation of Manitoba

1031 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 0R8

Phone: 204-944-6250 Fax: 774-8091

Email: dkostyk@afm.mb.ca

Description:

Provides workshops and presentations about problem gambling and older adults and participate in initiatives related to the issue of problem gambling and older adults. Provides counselling to older adults who are concerned about their gambling and to older families affected by someone else's gambling.

Ontario

Hamilton:

Agewise

Alcohol, Drug & Gambling Services

21 Hunter St E, 3^rd Floor

Hamilton, ON. 

L8N 1M2

Phone: 905-546-3606 – ask for Intake to register

Description:

This program is for older adults (55+) who are concerned about gambling, alcohol, drugs and /or medications and who wish to make healthy lifestyle choices.  It offers individual, educational and on-going support group opportunities.

Ottawa

LESA

Lifestyle Enrichment for Senior Adults

Centretown Community Health Centre

420 Cooper Street,

Ottawa, ON

K2P 2N6

Phone: 613-233-4443

Fax: 613-233-2062

Description:  The LESA program has been offering counselling to older adults with gambling problems for the last three years. Counsellors for seniors problem gambling are Christine McKay and Aude Belanger. The services are available in English and French, and a significant piece of the work entails outreach/education to the community and service providers.

Thunder Bay:

Evelyn Bakich, R.N., C.P.G.C.

Counsellor

Older Adult Gambling Program

Sister Margaret Smith Centre

Box 3251 35 N. Algoma Street

Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada

P7B 5G7

Phone: 807 343-2425

Fax: 807 -343-9447

Description: www.mha.sjcg.net/aboutus/program_details.asp

The Sister Margaret Smith Centre offers programming to meet the needs of the older adult and to address financial, leisure, family, social, mental health and legal issues that have occurred as a result of gambling. Click here for more information.

Do you know of counsellors who work specifically with seniors on gambling issues? Do you know of counsellors trained to understand the needs of older persons in this area and  the life issues they are facing?

If so, please let us know, and we'd be happy to add them to this list of resources. Contact: 

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Ontario Problem Gambling Centre

Description: Mission is to enhance the understanding of problem gambling, and to strengthen treatment and prevention practices through research. www.gamblingresearch.org/

Statistics on Gambling in Canada

Statistics Canada in March, 2003 produced a 5 page Fact Sheet on Gambling for their publication, Perspectives on Labour and Income. Statistics Canada — Catalogue no. 75-001-XIE. It looks at

• what is the provincial revenue and profit from gambling (e.g. the gambling profit in Alberta to the government was over $1 billion dollars in 2001).

• who gambles (age, employment status, gender, income level);

• who works in the industry.

Some of the figures are amazing.  Did you know the revenue for Canada from gambling increased over five fold, from $2.7 billion in 1992 to almost $12 billion in 2002.

Articles on Problem Gambling

General article on problem gambling among seniors in Minnesota.

www.wilder.org/goodage/Features/gamble501.html

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Weekly Addiction Gambling  Education Report. "Gambling at Any Age", Volume 7 Number 25 - June 19, 2002.   Describes "gambling experiences and psychosocial problems of older adult pathological gamblers". See www.thewager.org/Backindex/vol7pdf/wager725.pdf

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Alberta Alcohol and Drug Addiction Commission AADAC, 2000. "Seniors and Gambling: Exploring the Issues", . A two stage study in Alberta. Looked at :

The  revised South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS-R), and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were administered as part of the survey.

See: http://corp.aadac.com/content/corporate/gambling/gambling_reports_seniors_summary_2000.pdf  (pdf. version)

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Canadian Foundation on Compulsive Gambling site: www.rgco.org

Description:  The Responsible Gambling Council (Ontario) helps individuals and communities address gambling in a healthy and responsible way, with a strong emphasis on preventing gambling-related problems.

RGCO states "Gambling is everywhere in our society, therefore, it is vital to support public education programs, research, and professional and public information services related to gambling. Since 1983, the RGCO has:

"* Created innovative programs to promote responsible gambling

* Educated the public on how to avoid problem gambling

* Informed people with a gambling problem of where they can find help

* Promoted changes to public policy.

* Undertaken much needed research. "

Information specifically on seniors and gambling can be found at: www.responsiblegambling.org/seniors/

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Weekly Addiction Gambling Education Report (Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Council on Problem Gambling): Describes the effect of drinking while playing Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs)

• Bets Beer and Bettering Your Mood (www.thewager.org/Backindex/vol7pdf/wager730.pdf )

"Gambling it all away".  Maclean’s magazine, John Nicols, February 7, 2000. http://home.attbi.com/~rcg/5.html

Research on Problem Gambling

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Report on Problem Gambling. See: www.health.gov.sk.ca/ps_fin_rep_prev_of_prob_gam_sec1.pdf

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