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BY JAMES MORAN
THURSDAY, 18 JUNE 2009 12:25
The majority of Americans gamble, most without doing harm to themselves, their families or their communities. Unfortunately, for approximately 3-4 percent of American adults, recreational gambling becomes a problem.
We know that problem gambling or an addiction to gambling destroys peoples’ careers, disrupts marriages and relationships, and often leads to criminal activity. As state governments look for ways to boost revenues in these tough economic times, many are turning to legal gaming operations to expand the tax base. Based solely on the law of averages, this will in turn increase the number of Americans struggling with gambling addiction.
This week I introduced legislation, the “Comprehensive Problem Gambling Act,” which for the first time would devote federal resources to the research and treatment of problem gambling. The bill, supported by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), represents a long overdue federal commitment to address gambling addiction, whose social repercussions add up to more than $7 billion each year.
Congressman Moran's News Commentary | Falls Church News-Press Online
THURSDAY, 18 JUNE 2009 12:25
The majority of Americans gamble, most without doing harm to themselves, their families or their communities. Unfortunately, for approximately 3-4 percent of American adults, recreational gambling becomes a problem.
We know that problem gambling or an addiction to gambling destroys peoples’ careers, disrupts marriages and relationships, and often leads to criminal activity. As state governments look for ways to boost revenues in these tough economic times, many are turning to legal gaming operations to expand the tax base. Based solely on the law of averages, this will in turn increase the number of Americans struggling with gambling addiction.
This week I introduced legislation, the “Comprehensive Problem Gambling Act,” which for the first time would devote federal resources to the research and treatment of problem gambling. The bill, supported by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), represents a long overdue federal commitment to address gambling addiction, whose social repercussions add up to more than $7 billion each year.
Congressman Moran's News Commentary | Falls Church News-Press Online