A problem gambling support advocate is sounding the alarm about a surge in addiction stemming from online gambling.
Carey Murphy, who founded the Compulsive and Problem Gamblers Society, says increased access to digital gambling platforms is having an impact on young people.
And Murphy knows full well the effects of gambling addiction.
“The casino opened and it just blew my world apart,” he said.
Murphy is open about how he overcame gambling addiction years ago and started his non-profit group to help others.
His concern now is growing online access to gambling.
“It’s starting to grow exponentially because there’s no brick and mortar involved. You don’t have to get dressed up and go out,” he said.
He’s launching a program to explore the dangers of online gaming and is speaking directly to young people, who are particularly attracted to sports betting platforms.
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“You’re sitting watching a hockey game or a baseball game or a football game, and eight and a half minutes are spent on advertising while you’re 12, 13, 14 years old watching this,” he said.
“So what happens when they get to 18 or 19? They think they know everything about sports, they’re going to want to play. Their heroes are on TV.”
Last week, the Nova Scotia government launched four new walk-in recovery centres for people struggling with substance use and gambling addictions.
But Murphy says he’s hoping to help people earlier in the process, before things get out of hand.
“Early intervention really is something that can help a lot of people,” he said.
“Not all, don’t get me wrong, I can’t save the world. But if I can save one person from going down the path I took, it makes me feel wonderful.”
All gambling in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is regulated by their provincial governments through Atlantic Lottery, which says it enforces daily and weekly deposit limits.
But Atlantic Lottery also says thousands of online gambling sites are operating illegally in the region, adding that an estimated $200 million leaves the four Atlantic provinces each year through play on illegal and unregulated gaming websites.
“If we don’t take some steps soon, we’re going to have a massive problem on our hands, just massive, especially with the hard economic times,” said Murphy.
“That makes gambling even more popular.”
— With a file from Rebecca Lau
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